Our relationship with US important, trade just one aspect: Vikram Misri briefs Shashi Tharoor-led Parliamentary panel

Congress MP and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, Shashi Tharoor on Monday said that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, has made it clear that India's relationship with the United States remains "very important" and extends beyond trade to several other areas where the New Delhi-Washington engagement continues.

"... Our Foreign Affairs Secretary clearly said that our relationship with America is important, and trade is just one aspect of this, but we are still in touch on many subjects. The Commerce Secretary also told us about this in detail. They gave us all the clarifications that our members needed," says Congress MP and Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, Shashi Tharoor.

Last week, President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods due to Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil, bringing the total duty on Indian exports to the U.S. to 50% - among the highest of any American trading partner.


"Our relations with the U.S. are multi-dimensional, and should not be seen only through the prism of trade," one of the lawmakers said, citing the foreign secretary's briefing to the panel.

Goods trade between the United States and India - the world's biggest and fifth-largest economies, respectively - was worth about $87 billion in the last fiscal year, according to Indian government estimates.

The panel separately voiced concerns over Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir's reported remarks on nuclear threats in South Asia during a visit to the U.S.

"Nuclear blackmail will not work with India, and no party, or representative disagrees with this view," Tharoor said, adding the external affairs ministry had condemned the comments.