'Strategic Ties With Saudi Arabia Must Consider Mutual Interests After Pakistan Pact,' Says MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal

New Delhi: MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi ex- pected Riyadh to “keep in mind mutual interests and sensitivities” His remarks came a day after Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a defence pact that defines any attack on either nation as an attack on both. “India and Saudi Arabia have a wide-ranging strategic partnership, which has deep- end considerably in the last several years. We expect that this strategic partnership will keep in mind mutual interests and sensitivities”

Jaiswal then turned his focus to the US. Describing the trade talks with Washingtons “positive” and “forward-look- ing” he said that all efforts ‘were being made by both sides to achieve an “early conclusion of a mutually beneficial trade agreement.” Asked about the revocation by the Trump ad- ministration of the sanctions waiver to India on the Chabahar port, he said that India was examining its implications.

“We have seen the US press statement issued yester- day regarding the revocation of the sanctions waiver for India. We are presently examining its implications for India”

Granted in 2018, the US waiver had allowed India to develop and operate the Chabahar Port without running afoul of US sanctions on ran. The port has been central to Indias plans to establish a direct trade and transit route to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan.

The Trump administration has announced the waiver will be withdrawn with effect from September 29, as part of Washington’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran.

The MEA spokesperson did not comment on the recent US decision to revoke visas to Indian businessmen. In a release on Thursday, the US embassy in New Delhi stated that it had “revoked and subsequently denied visas for certain business executives and corporate leadership based on involvement in trafficking fentanyl precursors. As a result of this decision, these individuals and close family members may be ineligible for travel to the United States.”

Jaiswal confirmed talks had been held between NSA Ajit Doval with his Canadian counterpart Nathalie Drouin on Thursday. Coming a month after both nations exchanged high commissioners, talks are being viewed as a “reset” in India-Canada relations. Sources said intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism, Khalistani extremism, and the extradition of wanted terrorists were some of the areas discussed.

If the Nijjar issue had come up in the discussions between the NSAs, Jaiswal said. “This is part of the regular bilateral security consultations that we have between the two countries. It was also an opportun- ity for the sides to follow up on the discussions between Prime Ministers Modi and Carney on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada”