S Jaishankar reviews bilateral ties with US, Russia ahead of talks

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India’s External affairs minister S Jaishankar has reviewed bilateral relations with his American and Russian counterparts this week ahead of planned interactions with both countries in a wide range of areas with both countries.

Jaishankar tweeted on Tuesday that he had a broad-ranging conversation on Monday night with US secretary of state Antony Blinken that covered “current bilateral issues, Indo-Pacific and pressing global matters”.

The conversation came ahead of a planned 2+2 meeting of the Indian and US defence and foreign ministers. The meeting was initially slotted for last November but was put off for a variety of reasons. The dialogue will help guide cooperation in several key areas, including the Indo-Pacific and collaboration on defence research and manufacturing.

Jaishankar said in another tweet that he had spoken to Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday evening and discussed the follow-up to the annual summit and 2+2 meeting, which were both held in New Delhi on December 6. “Agreed to remain in regular touch,” he added.

A statement issued by the Russian embassy said that during the phone conversation, which was initiated by the Indian side, Lavrov and Jaishankar discussed “practical issues of bilateral cooperation” as a follow-up to the results of the India- Russia Summit.

The two ministers also “confirmed the intention to consistently strengthen relations of the special and privileged strategic partnership between the two states in the spheres of economy and investments, nuclear energy, space, high technologies and healthcare”, the statement said.

They discussed preparations for upcoming high-level contacts, including a meeting of the Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation, and other meetings between the leadership of the two foreign ministries.

Jaishankar and Lavrov also agreed on steps to expand interaction in regional and international affairs, including cooperation at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (Brics) grouping, the Russia-India-China (RIC) grouping, the UN and the UN Security Council. (Hindustan Times)