US Secretary of State Blinken calls on PM Modi, says 'few relationships more vital than India-US'
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday welcomed President Joe Biden's strong commitment to strengthen the India-US strategic partnership during a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
"Good to meet US Secretary of State @SecBlinken today. I welcome President Biden's strong commitment to strengthen the India-US Strategic Partnership, which is anchored in our shared democratic values and is a force for global good," the Prime Minister tweeted.
Blinken called on Modi after holding wide-ranging talks with External Affairs minister S Jaishankar.
The talks covered a range of issues including the situation in Afghanistan, Indo-Pacific engagements and COVID-19 response mechanism among others.
Blinken also held talks with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval with a focus on taking the relationship to the "next level".
It is learnt that the fast-evolving situation in Afghanistan as well as the Indo-Pacific engagement figured in the nearly one-hour talks.
Sources said both sides discussed strategic issues of importance in security, defence, economic and technology-related sectors, adding special attention was given on long term measures to take the relationship to the next level.
Views were also exchanged on contemporary and futuristic issues related to regional and global security, they said.
"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.
Blinken began his engagements in India in the morning with a meeting with a number of civil society leaders.
Following the meeting, Blinken said on Twitter that the US and India share a commitment to democratic values and it is part of the bedrock of the relationship and reflective of India's pluralistic society.
All people deserve to have a voice in their government and be treated with respect no matter who they are, Blinken asserted on Wednesday while noting that Indians and Americans believe in human dignity, in equality of opportunity, the rule of law, fundamental freedoms, including freedom of religion and belief.
Addressing civil society members in his first public event after arriving here and ahead of his meetings with the Indian leadership, Blinken said that both US and India share a commitment to democratic values and it is part of the bedrock of the bilateral relationship.
The US Secretary of State said that successful democracies include "thriving" civil societies, noting that they are needed to make democracies "more open, more inclusive, more resilient, more equitable".
This is Blinken's first visit to India after assuming charge as the US Secretary of State and the third by a high-ranking Biden administration official after it came to power in January.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin visited India in March while US Special Envoy on Climate Change John Kerry travelled to New Delhi in April.
