United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Wednesday, 28 July, met with PM Narendra Modi and discussed efforts to deepen the U.S.-India Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said, according to news agency ANI.
Secretary Blinken and PM Modi discussed regional challenges and a growing range of cooperation on COVID response efforts, climate change, shared values, democratic principles and regional security, including Quad consultations, Price added.
Blinken's meeting with PM Modi came after his wide-ranging talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, which covered issues including Afghanistan and the COVID-19 response.
PM Modi took to Twitter to share a photo of the meeting and wrote that he welcomed US President Joe Biden's "strong commitment to strengthen the India-US Strategic Partnership".
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said that Blinken briefed PM Modi on his "fruitful exchanges" with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval earlier in the day and expressed "strong commitment to further deepen India-US strategic relations in various sectors".
Prime Minister Modi said that the societies of the US and India share a deep commitment to the values of democracy, freedom and liberty, and the Indian diaspora in the US has contributed immensely to the enhancement of bilateral ties, according to the statement.
"The prime minister noted that the India-US Strategic Partnership will be of even greater global significance in the coming years, in the context of the challenges posed by COVID-19, global economic recovery and climate change," the statement read.
Meanwhile, Secretary Blinken appreciated the increasing convergence between India and US on a wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues, and the commitment of both strategic partners to convert this convergence into concrete and practical cooperation, the statement added.
At the meeting, PM Modi also conveyed his greetings to President Biden and Vice President Harris, as well as his appreciation for the initiatives taken by President Biden including those related to the Quad, COVID-19 and climate change.
Blinken Meets Jaishankar
Earlier in the day, the US Secretary of State addressed a joint presser with the EAM in Delhi and stressed the importance of the relationship between the two countries.
"There are few relationships in the world that are more vital than the one between the US and India. We are two of the world's leading democracies and diversity fuels our national strength," he stated.
He also highlighted that the US has contributed more than 200 million dollars worth in its fight against COVID in India, and said "I am pleased to announce that the United States government will send additional 25 million dollars to support vaccination efforts across India."
He stated that the funding will strengthen vaccine supply chain logistics, address misinformation, vaccine hesitancy and help train more healthcare workers.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)