New Delhi: India and the US on Monday held wide-ranging discussions on the situation in Ukraine as well as developments in the Indo-Pacific region and West Asia. The Indian delegation at the talks was led by Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla while the US delegation was headed by US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland.
Nuland is in Delhi as part of her three-nation tour of India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. A statement issued after the talks held under the framework of India-US Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) said both sides looked forward to the India-US 2+2 ministerial meeting. The 2+2 defense and foreign ministerial talks were originally slated to be held in November.
"The FOC provided a valuable opportunity to discuss contemporary regional issues pertaining to South Asia, the Indo-Pacific region, West Asia, and the situation in Ukraine, among others," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. It said Shringla and Nuland agreed to work together to strengthen the India-US global partnership on supply chains, critical technologies, health security, climate actions, and clean energy and terrorism.
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The MEA said Shringla and Nuland agreed to maintain regular dialogue and consultations on regional issues. "Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open, inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Following up on the Quad Leaders' Meetings, they expressed a keen desire to implement quickly the Quad's positive and constructive agenda to deliver for countries in the Indo-Pacific region," the MEA said.
"They noted the close cooperation between their two delegations at the UN Security Council, where India is currently a non-permanent member, and reiterated their desire to intensify cooperation in multilateral fora and international organisations, including the UN," it said. The MEA said the two sides reviewed progress in various domains under the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.
"Both sides welcomed regular high-level dialogue and engagement, including productive meetings of bilateral mechanisms which led to intensifying of cooperation across all pillars of the bilateral agenda," it said.
PTI
