Jaishankar Arrives In Washington To Meet His American Counterpart Antony Blinken

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar will meet his American counterpart Antony Blinken on Tuesday, where they are expected to discuss a number of bilateral issues, including the war in Ukraine and the Middle East crisis.

Jaishankar, who arrived in the US capital on Sunday, will also meet with other Cabinet officials and senior officials of the Biden administration.

Besides meeting US Secretary of State Blinken, the foreign minister is scheduled to interact with the think tank community.

The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace will host a discussion between Jaishankar and its president Mariano-Florentino (Tino) Cuellar on the future of US-India relations.

The think tank said India’s strategic importance is increasing globally and in US foreign policy-making, and cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit in 2023 and his recent bilateral meeting with President Joe Biden to illustrate this relationship.

Biden hosted Modi at his Delaware residence for a bilateral meeting on September 21. They were later joined by the leaders of Australia and Japan at the QUAD Leaders Summit in Wilmington, Delaware.

The think-tank said that amid rapid global development, India’s relationship with the US has grown significantly.

The two countries have deepened relations in the Indo-Pacific, as well as in defense innovation, as well as critical and emerging technologies, it added.

“What is India’s view of world leadership? How can the US and India strengthen cooperation on issues ranging from artificial intelligence and biotechnology to democracy, security, and trade? And how can the two countries work together to bridge the critical political divide?” said the thought.

This is Jaishankar’s first visit to the US capital since the third Modi government took office.

(This story was not edited by News18 staff and was published by the syndicated news agency – PTI)