US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to visit India next week

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 23

Us Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to India and Kuwait from July 26 to 29 to “reaffirm the US commitment to strengthening our partnerships and underscore cooperation on our shared priorities,’’ said a US State Department statement.

In New Delhi on July 28, Blinken will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to discuss a wide range of issues, including continued cooperation on Covid response efforts, Indo-Pacific engagement, shared regional security interests, shared democratic values, and addressing the climate crisis.

Blinken will travel on July 28 to Kuwait City where he will meet with senior Kuwaiti officials to continue discussions of key bilateral issues.

His main interaction will be with Jaishankar at a time when Washington has set up a Quad that has Pakistan to discuss the issue of promoting connectivity in Central and South Asia, especially Afghanistan.

Blinken could also bring news regarding extradition of Tawwahur Rana, facing charges for involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, a gesture that would show that the US is serious about addressing security concerns. The Biden administration has told a US court that India’s extradition request contains sufficient evidence for seeking his extradition.

Blinken and Jaishankar have met thrice previously under the Biden administration.

Blinken will be the second Biden administration official to visit Delhi this year after US Secretary of Defence Gen. (retd.) Lloyd Austin came here earlier this year and held talks with Rajnath Singh besides calling on PM Modi.

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