Jaishankar, Blinken discuss Covid, ties

NEW DELHI, MAY 4

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in London to discuss the raging Covid pandemic and US-India comprehensive global strategic partnership. Blinken assured Jaishankar that oxygen and related equipment would continue to be the key priority and that the US had also acted on India’s request for more Remdesvir.

Blinken and Jaishankar reviewed recent efforts in the fight against Covid, including US assistance to India, and expressed appreciation for each country’s support throughout the pandemic, stated a US State Department release.

Blinken reaffirmed India’s role when it came to climate crisis and as a leading partner in the Indo-Pacific. They also discussed ways to deepen cooperation in multilateral fora, including at the UN Security Council and as a G7 guest country. The ministers also discussed how greater Indian vaccine production could address both India’s own needs and the requirement of global public health. The situation in Myanmar also came up. — TNS