New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Friday held talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken with a focus on key bilateral issues as well as the situation in West Asia, Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific.
The meeting took place in Munich on the sidelines of a security conference.
“Great to meet my friend US @SecBlinken this afternoon on #MSC2024 sidelines. Our talk centered on the situation in West Asia, Ukraine and Indo-Pacific. Reviewed the continuing progress in our bilateral ties,” Jaishankar said on X.
Great to meet my friend US @SecBlinken this afternoon on #MSC2024 sidelines.
Our talk centered on the situation in West Asia, Ukraine and Indo-Pacific. Reviewed the continuing progress in our bilateral ties. pic.twitter.com/adZSFKw5By
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 16, 2024
Jaishankar and Blinken are learnt to have deliberated on various aspects of India-US strategic ties.
There has been a major upswing in India-US ties in the last few years, especially in the spheres of defence and high-technology.
Over two weeks ago, the Biden administration notified the US Congress on its proposed supply of 31 MQ-9B Predator long endurance drones to India.
The move was seen as significant forward movement to firming up the mega deal that was announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington in June last year.
The Defence Security Cooperation Agency of the US government delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale.
The Jaishankar-Blinken talks also came amid some unease between the two sides following Washington’s allegations in December that it thwarted an alleged plot hatched by an Indian agent to kill Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil.
The US federal prosecutors charged Indian national Nikhil Gupta of working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot.
India has already constituted a probe committee to investigate allegations.
PTI