Washington: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington DC to discuss expanding cooperation between India and the United States on regional and global challenges. This marked Jaishankar’s first visit to the US capital since the third Modi government took office.

During the meeting, which took place at the US State Department, Blinken emphasised the importance of the India-US partnership in addressing various global issues. “Together, the US and India are working to address regional and global challenges. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and I met to discuss our continued cooperation on the climate crisis and ways we can promote regional security and prosperity,” Blinken said.

Jaishankar, reflecting on the discussions, noted, “Delighted to hold talks with Blinken in Washington DC. We followed up on the Delaware bilateral and the QUAD meetings. Our discussions also covered deepening bilateral cooperation, the situation in West Asia, recent developments in the Indian subcontinent, the Indo-Pacific, and Ukraine.”

Significance of Delaware meeting and QUAD

Jaishankar’s reference to the Delaware bilateral refers to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent meeting with US President Joe Biden on September 21. Modi was hosted at Biden’s Delaware residence, where they discussed several bilateral matters. They were later joined by leaders from Australia and Japan for the QUAD Leaders' Summit in Wilmington, Delaware.

Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the US State Department, confirmed that the talks between Jaishankar and Blinken further strengthened US-India ties. “They discussed the United States and India’s enduring commitment to deepening bilateral ties, coordinating closely on regional and global challenges, and advancing cooperation on critical and emerging technologies,” Miller said. He also mentioned that Blinken reiterated the importance of a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, referencing Modi’s recent visit to Kyiv.

Expanding collaboration on clean energy

One of the key topics in the meeting was the collaboration on clean energy initiatives. Both nations discussed ways to work together in addressing the global climate crisis. Blinken emphasised that the warmth of the recent meeting between Modi and Biden, as well as the ambition in the relationship, was unprecedented.

“I think it's a reflection of the value that both countries attach to this partnership — a partnership in so many different areas, including strategic technology sectors, space, semiconductors, clean energy, where our countries increasingly are working together and creating new opportunities for people in both India and the United States but also, more broadly than that, around the world," Blinken said. He also highlighted the crucial role that India plays on the global stage, working for peace, stability, and security.

Reflecting on bilateral progress

Earlier in the day, Jaishankar also participated in a discussion at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a prominent American think tank. Reflecting on his meeting with Blinken, Jaishankar praised the positive outcomes of the Delaware summit and the QUAD meeting.

"I think, on the bilateral side, there is a lot that we have done since our last meeting but there are global issues to discuss, including some of the events you mentioned today," Jaishankar said, reinforcing the growing depth of the India-US relationship.

PTI