Won't make China-like mistakes: US official says 'America first' in India trade deal

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said Washington will prioritise its national interests in economic engagement with India and will not repeat the mistakes it believes it made with China two decades ago.

The United States will prioritise its national interests while expanding economic engagement with India and will avoid repeating the mistakes it believes it made with China two decades ago, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said on Thursday.

Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, Landau said Washington has drawn lessons from its past trade and economic engagement with China and will approach its growing partnership with India with greater clarity about protecting American interests.

"India should understand that we're not going to make the same mistakes with India that we made with China 20 years ago in terms of saying, oh, we're going to let you be able to develop all these markets, and then the next thing we know, you're beating us in a lot of commercial things," he said.

The top official affirmed, "We're going to make sure that whatever we do, it's fair to our people, because, ultimately, we have to be accountable to our own people. Just as the government of India has to be accountable to its people."

However, Landau explained that “America First does not mean America alone", noting that the country can achieve its objectives through cooperation with other nations. He added that the Donald Trump administration views "national interest as a shared principle among sovereign states".

"So just as President Trump wants to make America great again, he would expect the Prime Minister of India or other leaders to want to make their countries great again," the Deputy Secretary of State remarked at the event.