New Delhi, Jul 28,2021: The US said it supports India’s “emergence as a leading global power and vital partner” in efforts to ensure the Indo-Pacific is a region of peace, stability and economic inclusion, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday evening on a two-day visit that will see both sides discuss a host of issues, including the Indo-Pacific, regional security and Afghanistan.
The two sides will also discuss continued cooperation on Covid-19 response efforts, “shared democratic values”, and addressing the climate crisis”, the US State Department said in a statement, as Blinken landed in New Delhi. He is to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and also National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Wednesday.
The US State Department said Blinken’s visit will reaffirm the US’s “commitment to strengthening our partnership and underscore cooperation on our shared priorities”.
It said the US and India have a strong strategic partnership founded on shared values and a commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The statement termed India as “a leading global power and a key US partner in the Indo-Pacific and beyond”.
Blinken’s visit comes as US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman was in China for two days during which she met the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
On cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, it said that at the inaugural Quad Leaders’ Summit in March, President Biden and Prime Minister Modi joined their Japanese and Australian counterparts “in pledging to respond to the economic and health impacts of Covid-19, combat the climate crisis, and address shared challenges, including in cyber-space, critical technologies, counterterrorism, quality infrastructure investment, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and maritime security.”
U.S.-India defense cooperation is reaching new heights, including through information sharing, liaison officers, increasingly complex exercises like Malabar, and defense-enabling agreements, such as the secure communications agreement COMCASA.
As of 2020, the United States has authorized over $20 billion in defense sales to India.
Through the U.S.-India Defense Technology and Trade Initiative, the United States and India work together on co-production and co-development of defense equipment.
The United States and India are also closely coordinating on regional security issues, such as Afghanistan.
In October 2020, India hosted the third 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, and the United States looks forward to the next 2+2 later this year, it said.
The US and India are working to expand cooperation in international organizations, the statement said.
On the Covid pandemic, which is to be on the talks agenda, the statement said the US stands with the people of India as they continue to battle the pandemic. The US has contributed more than $200 million for India’s Covid-19 relief and response efforts since the pandemic began, including more than $50 million in emergency supplies and training for more than 218,000 frontline health workers on infection prevention and control, benefitting more than 43 million Indians.
Earlier this year, both countries initiated renewal of a MoU to collaborate through an International Center of Excellence in Research focused on infectious diseases, including Covid-19 and other emerging threats.
Both nations are partnering to strengthen the global response to Covid-19, on issues ranging from addressing infectious disease outbreaks to strengthening health systems to securing global supply chains.
US pharma companies have coordinated with Indian companies since the beginning of the pandemic. This cooperation includes voluntary licensing and technology transfer agreements to increase global manufacturing capacity for Covid-19 vaccines, therapies, and conducting clinical trials.
On cooperation on climate change, it said that US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry during his meeting in April with Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the importance of two of the world’s largest economies leading together to address the climate crisis.
At the Leaders’ Summit on Climate in April, President Biden and Prime Minister Modi launched the US-India Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership to strengthen cooperation on strong actions in the current decade to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and help each country achieve its respective climate and clean energy goals.
The US looks forward to further cooperation with India on tackling the climate crisis and raising global ambition ahead of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, UK, in November, it said.
