india

Updated: Sep 18, 2019 06:54 IST

External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said that Indo-US relations have come a long way and is in good health.

“India-US relations have come a long way. I assure you that relations are in very good health. As the relationship grows there will be issues. We’ve been talking to the US, my expectation is that the sharper edges will be addressed in the not too distant future,” he told reporters after a briefing to make 100 days of the Modi’s government’s second term.

Watch | India-US relations is in good health: Jaishankar ahead of PM Modi’s US visit

Jaishankar played down differences over trade and insisted that Indo-US ties are on an upward trajectory. “The trajectory has always been upwards. As in any relationship, there are issues. The trade problems are normal with people you are closest to, since most trade happens with them.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the US to address the UN general assembly. The minister also said US President Donald Trump attending the “Howdy, Modi!” event on Sunday in Houston along with Modi was a matter of great honour and an achievement for the Indo-American community.

“Regarding President Trump’s presence there (PM’s Houston event), I think it is a matter of great honour that he has chosen to come there, to accept the invitation from the community to be there.”

“I regard this as a great achievement of Indian-American community(PM’s Houston event). If today there’s an event of this size and you have President Trump coming there, it shows where that community has reached, how it is regarded in US,the respect it commands there.”

Asked if Modi’s meeting with Trump will carry a message for Pakistan, Jaihsankar said, “Countries develop a reputation. It is not just Pakistan the whole world will be watching. There are multiple messages and it is for the Pakistanis what they wish to read.”

On the face-off between Indian and Chinese troops near Pangong Lake in Ladakh, Jaishankar denied that there was a skirmish and said there are mechanisms to address such situations and in this particular case the mechanism kicked into play and addressed the situation.

“There was no skirmish. There was a face-off and it was resolved. It happened because there are differing perceptions of Line of Actual Control, patrols meet and sometimes that kind of situations happen,” he said.