Will go by 'national interest' on S-400 deal after Pompeo talks: S Jaishankar

New Delhi : US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo admitted to Washington having a different opinion with Delhi on issues like trade, but downplayed it by saying that "great friends are bound to have differences".  He was addressing a joint press conference with Foreign Minister S Jaishankar.

Both the ministers said that they will be working together on finding ways to work through these issues, including the United States' opposition to the $5-billion defence deal for S-400 air defence systems between India and Russia. "On some outstanding issues related to trade, I pushed for a constructive and pragmatic view. The real test of our intentions will be our ability to deal with this," said Dr Jaishankar.

The Foreign Minister added that the maturity lies in finding a solution to problems which have remained unsolved between the two countries. "We have to tell our governments to try harder," he added.

India had imposed retaliatory tariffs on 28 US items earlier this month, after the Donald Trump administration ended trade concessions for India on June 1. Mike Pompeo defended his government's decision, stating that the US deserves greater market access.

The US has sought the cancellation of the S-400 air defence system deal, failing which India would face the risk of American sanctions.