Jaishankar meets Defence Secy Austin, discusses India-US strategic and defence partnership

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar met US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday and held a comprehensive conversation about further developing our strategic and defence partnership between the two countries.

Jaishankar and Austin also exchanged views on contemporary security challenges.

"A warm meeting with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin. A comprehensive conversation about further developing our strategic and defence partnership. Exchanged views on contemporary security challenges. Expressed appreciation of the US military role in responding to the Covid situation," EAM Jaishankar tweeted.

On Thursday, Jaishankar had met with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan wherein they held an hour-long meeting discussing wide-ranging issues including the Indo-Pacific and Afghanistan in Washington.

"Pleased to meet NSA @JakeSullivan46. Wide-ranging discussions including on Indo-Pacific and Afghanistan. Conveyed appreciation for US solidarity in addressing the Covid challenge. India-US vaccine partnership can make a real difference," Jaishankar tweeted.

During that meeting, Jaishankar was accompanied by India's envoy to the US Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu as the External Affairs Minister commenced the second leg of his US visit.

The EAM also met with US Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai, as part of his five-day US visit, the first official trip since President Joe Biden took office in January.

Jaishankar and Tai discussed the issues around the proposal by India to suspend the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement to help them produce vaccines to fight COVID-19.

Jaishankar arrived in the US on May 24 and is slated to visit many senior officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during his stay till May 28.

( With inputs from ANI )

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