External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held talks with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan during which they reviewed the progress of the US-India strategic partnership and discussed exchanged views on global and regional issues, including approaches to advancing a free, open, secure and prosperous Indo. -Peaceful.
Jaishankar, who is on a four-day official trip to Washington, also discussed the Ukraine conflict with Sullivan when they met at the White House on Tuesday.
“I met today with India’s External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar to discuss our joint efforts to deepen the US-India strategic partnership, mitigate the impacts of Russia’s war in Ukraine and advance a free Indo-Pacific , open, safe and prosperous,” Sullivan said. said in a tweet.
In a reading, his office said Sullivan and Jaishankar met ‘to review the progress of the U.S.-India strategic partnership and exchange views on global and regional priorities, including the implications of Russia’s aggression. against Ukraine and its impact on food and energy insecurity around the world”. He said they discussed “approaches to promote debt sustainability and advance a free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific”. The United States, India and several other world powers have discussed the need to ensure a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific amid China’s growing military maneuvers in the region.
China claims almost all of the disputed South China Sea, although Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea.
Jaishankar said they discussed the Ukrainian conflict and its repercussions, the Indo-Pacific situation, South Asia and the Gulf.
“Nice to meet with US National Security Advisor @JakeSullivan46. Discussed the Ukrainian conflict and its repercussions, the Indo-Pacific situation, South Asia and the Gulf. Exchange of views on how weather the current global economic volatility,” he tweeted.
India has yet to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and maintains that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue.
At a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday after holding bilateral talks, Jaishankar said India had not encountered any difficulties in terms of maintenance and parts supply. spare parts of the equipment it had received in the past from Russia in the aftermath of the war. in Ukraine and claimed that he is exercising a choice which he believes is in his national interest when offered arms.
“I don’t think we have had any particular problems in recent months in terms of maintenance and supply of spare parts of (military) equipment that we have obtained in the past from Russia,” Jaishankar told reporters in answering a question.
He was asked about India’s plans for military hardware and equipment given the sanctions the United States and others are imposing on Russian industry and whether India plans to buy more American or Israeli military equipment.
“Where we get our military equipment and platforms from is not a problem, honestly, which is a new problem or a problem that has particularly changed due to geopolitical tensions,” Jaishankar said.
India, he noted, is looking at possibilities across the world. “We look at the quality of the technology, the quality of the capabilities, the terms on which that particular piece of equipment is offered, and we exercise a choice that we believe is in our national interest,” he said.
