India, US to work together to advance peace prosperity and security in Indo Pacific

Washington: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met in Tokyo on Tuesday and they underscored the need to work together to advance, peace, prosperity and security in the Indo-Pacific and around the globe, the State Department said.

The top two diplomats met in Tokyo, Japan on the margins of the United States-India-Australia-Japan Quadrilateral Consultations, during which they discussed ongoing bilateral and multilateral cooperation on topics of international concern.

Pompeo described his meeting with Jaishankar as "productive."

"Productive meeting today with Indian Minister of External Affairs @DrSJaishankar. Together we are advancing US-India relations, combatting COVID-19, and ensuring a secure and prosperous #IndoPacific for all," the secretary of state tweeted.

Cale Brown, Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the State Department, said that the two leaders "reaffirmed the strength of the United States-India relationship, reviewed our efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, and asserted the need to work together to advance peace, prosperity, and security in the Indo-Pacific and around the globe."

They agreed to continue close cooperation on a full range of regional and international issues and look forward to the US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue later this year, he said.

While Pompeo and Jaishankar talk over the phone at frequent intervals, this was their first meeting after the recent border incursions by China in India.

India is also expanding bilateral cooperation with Japan, the US and Australia in the Indo-Pacific region.

The US has been pushing for a greater role for India in the Indo-Pacific which is seen by many countries as an effort to contain China's growing clout in the region.

(PTI)