External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held talks with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, during which they reviewed progress in the US-India strategic partnership and exchanged views on global and regional issues, including a free, open, secure and Contains perspectives to pursue prosperity. Indo-Pacific.
Jaishankar, on a four-day official visit to Washington, also discussed the Ukraine conflict with Sullivan during their meeting at the White House on Tuesday.
“Today to discuss our shared efforts to deepen the US-India strategic partnership, mitigate the effects of Russia’s war in Ukraine, and advance a free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region,” Sullivan said.
In a readout, his office said that Sullivan and Jaishankar met “to review progress in the US-India strategic partnership and to exchange views on global and regional priorities, including Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and girding its goods on the food and energy instability of the world”. It said they bandied” fancies to promote credit stability and advance a free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific”. The US, India and several other world powers are discussing the need to ensure a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region in the backdrop of China’s increasing military moves.
China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, although Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim its corridor. Beijing has erected artificial islets and service installations in the South China Sea.
Jaishankar said they bandied the Ukraine conflict and its fate, the Indo- Pacific situation, South Asia and the Gulf.
“Nice to meet US National Security Advisor @JakeSullivan46. Discussed the Ukraine conflict and its fate, the Indo- Pacific situation, South Asia and the Gulf. Changed views on addressing the current global profitable insecurity,” he twittered.
India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has maintained that the crisis should be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue.
On Tuesday, during a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken after bilateral talks, Jaishankar said India did not face any difficulties in terms of servicing and supplying spare parts of post-war equipment received from Russia in the past. . in Ukraine and emphasized that it exercises an option it believes is in its national interest when it is offered weapons.
“I don’t think we have faced any particular problem in the recent months in terms of servicing (military) equipment and supply of spare parts,” Jaishankar told reporters while answering a question.
He was asked about India’s plans for military hardware and equipment that the US and other Russian industries are imposing sanctions on and whether India would consider purchasing more American or Israeli military equipment.
“Where we get our military outfit and platforms from isn’t an issue which is a new issue or an issue that has changed, especially because of geopolitical pressures,” Jaishankar said.
He said that India sees possibilities around the world. We look at the quality of the technology, the quality of the capability, the terms of offering that particular device, and we exercise a choice that we believe is in our public interest,” he said.
