分类： bharat

Another waiver for India?
The US has been keen to promote strategic partnerships with Indian in the Indo-Pacific region to counter rapidly-growing Chinese influence. To that end, it has so far been lenient when it comes to India’s ‘transgressions’ regarding US sanctions.

For instance, it has seemingly overlooked New Delhi’s decision to go ahead with the procurement of Russia’s S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, which some expected might earn the wrath of Washington and invite new sanctions ‘to punish’ both Russia and India.

Meanwhile, Turkey – a NATO ally – which also procured the S-400 systems from Russia – faced punitive actions from the Trump administration resulting in the cancellation of the the delivery of around 100 fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft from the US.

So far, it’s unclear whether India will manage to extract further concessions from Washington to continue to do business with Iran over the INSCT, improving connectivity with Afghanistan and allowing it to make inroads into the EAEU markets — but the question will likely figure prominently in upcoming discussions between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump when he visits New Delhi later this month.

India’s entry to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), spurred by Russia, could help expand South Asia-Eurasia trade, but there’s a potential glitch. The US would need to allow a waiver for New Delhi to transship goods through Iran.
With talks ongoing about a possible India-EAEU free trade agreement (FTA), Moscow has also been pushing for New Delhi to join the EAEU — currently consisting of Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.

Such a move could open new trade opportunities between the South Asian and Eurasian regions via the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) — a 7,200km ship, rail and road trade network that cuts across Central Asia, beginning in Iran and ending in the southern Russian city of Astrakhan.

Yet, fresh US sanctions on Iran could stand in the way — unless Washington is willing to grant New Delhi a waiver to work with Tehran.

印度希望在未来4到5年内，将其铁路网全部电气化。

印度铁道与能源部部长戈亚尔周四（6日）表示，作为削减碳排放的努力的一部分，印度希望在未来4到5年内将其铁路网全部电气化。

戈亚尔表示，目前印度55%的铁路网络已经电气化，剩下的还在使用柴油。