WASHINGTON, June 30: India’s role in South Asia and the Indian Ocean Region was discussed along with a host of issues including terrorism and trade as Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar held parleys with top American officials here on taking Indo-US ties forward.
Jaishankar had a series of meetings with the US officials here yesterday during which he discussed issues ranging from ease of doing business to cooperation on terrorism and climate change.
During his day-long visit, Jaishankar met US National Security Advisor Susan Rice, Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Trade Representative Michael Froman among others.
Jaishankar and Rice discussed India’s role in South Asia and the Indian Ocean Region, including for promotion of connectivity and economic integration and relief and reconstruction in Nepal after the earthquake of April 25, according to a statement issued by the Indian Embassy here.
“They reviewed the implementation of initiatives taken during the two summits between leaders Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and President (Barack) Obama in the past one year,” the statement added.
Prime Minister Modi and President Obama held their first bilateral summit in the White House last September. In January this year, Obama travelled to New Delhi to be the Chief Minister at the Republic Day parade during which he met Modi for the second time.
Deputy Secretary of State Blinken, who hosted a luncheon in honour of Jaishankar, discussed with him a range of bilateral, regional and global issues of topical relevance.
The two officials also explored deeper collaboration and engagement to address emerging global challenges like terrorism, climate change and cyber issues and policy coordination on internet governance and other matters.
During their meeting, Jaishankar and Froman covered the ground of India-US economic and commercial engagement.
“They agreed to work together to promote and reinvigorate economic partnership, and to create infrastructure and policy framework to make it attractive for businesses of the two sides to engage with each other,” the statement said.
During the Foreign Secretary’s stay in the US, Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation Dana J Hyde also called on him and briefed him about the independent US government foreign aid agency’s planned engagement with India. (PTI)
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