US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mignon Houston on Wednesday (local time) stated that student visa applications for the United States are now open and encouraged students to apply, while underlining that all visa decisions are taken keeping US national security in mind.
Speaking to ANI, Houston said, “Our student visa applications have opened, students can apply and submit their application but what we want students to understand when they’re applying for that visa, we want them to understand that we want to see a use of that visa that is in line with their application and the students come to the United States and study and not obstruct students from studying in class, not to vandalize campuses.”
She added, “Every decision we make is a US national security decision. We have these policies with the US immigration law to ensure that we are holding the highest standard for US immigration… not only to protect US citizens but also the other students studying here…”
Mignon Houston, Deputy Spokesperson for the US State Department, also told ANI that India is a “critical partner” for Washington, for the Indo-Pacific and a trade agreement, is under discussion.
Houston stressed to ANI that the United States wants to have a “fair and reciprocal” trade relationship with its partners, in accordance with the Trump Administration’s “America First” policy. “We want trade that is fair and reciprocal”, stated Houston, “Working together, India is a critical partner in the Indo-Pacific and Quad”.
We expect that all our partners understand why this is so important to the ‘America First’ agenda, that we look for trade policies that have a fairness, reciprocal, balanced way to ensure that all parties benefit,” Houston told ANI.
She defended the Trump administration’s decision to impose tariffs, saying unfair trade practices had harmed American farmers and industries.
“I can say writ large as it relates to the United States’ position that these tariffs are a way for countries to meet us at a place of fairness. The United States has an open economy, but there are unfair trade policies that have impacted US farmers and industries,” she said.
Talks between India and the US on a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) are underway, with a July 9 deadline fast approaching. The deadline marks the end of a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariff hikes.
On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said that a trade deal between India and the United States was likely soon and promised reduced tariffs.
“I think we are going to have a deal with India. And that is going to be a different kind of a deal. It is going to be a deal where we are able to go in and compete. Right now, India does not accept anybody in. I think India is going to do that, and if they do that, we are going to have a deal for much less tariffs,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, India has taken a firmer stand on agricultural issues as the negotiations continue. According to government sources, India’s negotiating team, led by Chief Negotiator Rajesh Agrawal, has extended its stay in Washington.
The trade negotiations were scheduled to be held Thursday and Friday but were extended as both sides try to solidify an interim agreement prior to the July 9 deadline.
A senior official warned that if there was no agreement in place, then there would be a return to a 26 percent tariff structure that had been temporarily suspended for 90 days. The tariffs were originally imposed under the Trump administration on April 2.
“The failure of these trade discussions would trigger the immediate reimplementation of the 26 per cent tariff structure,” the official said.
(With input from ANI)
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