Jaishankar-Blinken to discuss COVID-19, QUAD

Washington, May 25: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and visiting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar would discuss a wide range of issues, including COVID-19, efforts to strengthen Indo-Pacific cooperation through the Quad, enhanced UN and multilateral cooperation, a State Department spokesperson said on Monday. Jaishankar, who arrived in New York on Sunday on his first visit to the US after India entered the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member in January this year, is expected to travel to Washington DC on Wednesday.

"The Secretary looks forward to meeting Minister Jaishankar during his visit, and to discussing a broad range of issues, including COVID-19 relief, efforts to strengthen Indo-Pacific cooperation through the Quad, enhanced UN and multilateral cooperation, and a range of other shared regional security and economic priorities, the spokesperson said. It is the first visit by a senior Indian minister to the US after President Joe Biden assumed office in January.

The top Indian diplomat has a busy schedule in the American capital later this week. In addition to meeting his counterpart, Jaishankar is scheduled to meet US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, other senior officials of the Biden Administration, influential lawmakers, think-tanks, leaders of the corporate sector and members of the Indian American community. Neither the State Department nor the Ministry of External Affairs have announced the day and timing of the Jaishankar-Blinken meeting.

Blinken on Monday left for a quick trip to the Middle East as part of the efforts of the Biden Administration's peace process in the region.