Prime Minister Narendra Modi told visiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday that food security concerns of the poorest of the poor had to move in tandem with trade reform measures.
Mr. Modi’s comments came after a U.S. State Department official said, “Failure to sign the Trade Facilitation Agreement [in Geneva] sent a confusing signal and undermined the very image Prime Minister Modi is trying to send about India.”
As the trade talks collapsed in Geneva, Mr. Modi emphasised that developed countries needed to understand the challenges of poverty and government responsibilities in addressing the issue.
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In an hour-long meeting, Mr. Kerry, accompanied by U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, was told by the Prime Minister that he looked forward to a “productive and fruitful summit” in October with President Barack Obama.