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On Monday, India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and expressed gratitude for the discussion of bilateral relations, as well as regional and global concerns.
The meeting takes place while the two countries continue to negotiate trade agreements.
In a post on his official X account, EAM Jaishankar wrote: “Glad to meet @SecRubio this morning in Kuala Lumpur. Appreciated the discussion on our bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues.”
“We are in dialogue with the United States of America. Our teams are engaged. We recently had the commerce secretary visit the US, and he met with his counterparts. We continue to engage with them, and talks are progressing. We hope to work towards a fair and equitable agreement in the near future,” Union Minister Piyush Goyal said last week.
Previously, Rubio downplayed rising worries that Washington’s expanding strategic relations with Pakistan are intended to isolate India. He emphasized that the engagement with Islamabad will not jeopardize the US’s “deep, historic, and important” partnership with New Delhi.
The US State Secretary, speaking to the press on route to Doha, Qatar, on Saturday, stated that New Delhi recognizes the importance of engaging various states in a mature diplomatic framework.
“I don’t think anything we’re doing with Pakistan comes at the expense of our relationship or friendship with India, which is deep, historic, and important,” Rubio told reporters when asked about India’s apprehensions over the recent surge in the US-Pakistan relationship.
India and ASEAN nations reinforced their ties at the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit on Sunday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined critical areas for partnership, including counter-terrorism, an early assessment of the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement, and marine security.
Prime Minister Modi took part virtually in the Summit. This was the Prime Minister’s 12th appearance at the India-ASEAN Summit.
PM Modi met ASEAN leaders reviewed progress in ASEAN-India relations and discussed ways to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
According to a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) press release, Prime Minister Modi stated that terrorism posed a severe threat to world peace and security, emphasizing the necessity of unity in the battle against it.
Source: IANS
