Won’t be bullied, will wait out Trump term for trade deal, Doval told Rubio

Months before US President Donald Trump announced a trade agreement with India, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval privately told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that New Delhi wanted to move past the bitterness that had crept into bilateral ties and return to the negotiating table.

During a visit to Washington, Doval also made it clear that India would not be pressured by Trump or his senior aides, officials in New Delhi familiar with the exchange told Bloomberg. The message, they said, was firm but forward-looking: India wanted engagement, not confrontation.

According to Bloomberg, Doval told Rubio that New Delhi was prepared to wait out Trump’s term if needed but wanted the US administration to ease its public criticism to help stabilise relations. The meeting is said to have taken place in early September, shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.