New Delhi, May 24 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Sunday outlined India’s five-point approach on key regional and global issues, stressing that New Delhi advocates dialogue and diplomacy for conflict resolution, supports uninterrupted maritime commerce, and strongly opposes the weaponisation of trade and resources.
Addressing a joint press briefing with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio after delegation-level talks held at Hyderabad House, EAM Jaishankar said India and the United States continue to maintain regular engagement and strategic coordination across a broad range of sectors.
“This is the Secretary’s first visit to India, but ever since he has assumed office, we have been in regular touch. This has included occasions in Washington, D.C., and New York, and also on the sidelines of other events, the most recent one being in France. We have had a continuous engagement which has facilitated our overseeing the broad-based and growing cooperation between our two nations,” Jaishankar said.
Highlighting the political understanding between New Delhi and Washington, the External Affairs Minister said the India-US strategic partnership is built on converging interests in several areas of mutual importance.
“In terms of the political understanding between India and the US, we have a strategic partnership which emanates from a convergence of national interests in many areas,” he stated.
Listing India’s broad position on important regional and global matters, Jaishankar said New Delhi remains committed to diplomacy, lawful conduct, economic resilience, and trusted global partnerships.
“One, that we advocate dialogue and diplomacy to address conflicts. Two, we support safe and unimpeded maritime commerce. Three, we demand scrupulous respect for international law. Fourth, we are against the weaponisation of market shares and resources. And five, we believe in the value of trusted partnerships and resilient supply chains to de-risk the global economy,” the External Affairs Minister said.
EAM Jaishankar also mentioned that Rubio had called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, during which the leaders discussed a range of global and regional developments.
He said that during his own meeting with Rubio, discussions were held on developments in West Asia, the Indian subcontinent and East Asia, along with deliberations related to his recent visit to the Caribbean region.
“Our talks today over lunch will focus on the latest developments in the Gulf. A few things have happened or seem to be happening overnight, and also on the Ukraine conflict. Indo-Pacific is also on the agenda for the Quad meeting, which we will be doing on May 26,” he said.
On defence and strategic cooperation, EAM Jaishankar referred to the recently renewed 10-year major defence partnership framework agreement between India and the United States. He also highlighted the signing of a comprehensive underwater domain awareness roadmap.
“We discussed the importance of taking into account the ‘Make in India’ approach and lessons drawn from recent conflicts while going forward in the defence domain,” he added.
Speaking on economic cooperation, the EAM said both countries discussed the importance of early finalisation of the India-US interim trade agreement, which is expected to pave the way for a larger bilateral trade pact.
“On the economic front, we spoke about the value of concluding at an early date, the final text of the interim agreement regarding reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade. This will be an important step towards a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement, which was envisaged during Prime Minister Modi’s visit in February 2025,” he said.
The External Affairs Minister also said energy security and nuclear cooperation figured prominently in the talks between the two sides.
“We spent some time today discussing energy issues, and again, you’re all aware that our government’s fundamental responsibility is to address the needs of 1.4 billion people. Ensuring the accessibility and affordability of energy for them is our prime objective. Secretary and I therefore welcome the expansion in our energy trade in recent months. Diversified supplies are at the heart of energy security for India,” EAM Jaishankar said.
He further noted that the passage of the Shanti Act had opened up fresh opportunities in nuclear cooperation between the two countries.
“We devoted some time to nuclear energy cooperation as well. The passage of the Shanti Act has opened up new possibilities. An American delegation was recently in India. We hope to realise the potential of cooperation in the nuclear domain. I also raised with the Secretary some regulatory issues that we have on the American side,” he added.
EAM Jaishankar also highlighted cooperation between India and the United States in emerging technologies, critical minerals and artificial intelligence.
“All of you know the importance of critical minerals. Our two nations have been cooperating bilaterally in the Quad format and also as a like-minded group. India joined the Pax Silica and is part of the Forge initiative. The AI Impact Summit in New Delhi in February highlighted the enormous potential of the India-US relationship. And we will naturally be encouraging our businesses dealing with AI,” he said.
The External Affairs Minister also underlined that India and the United States not only share common interests but also face several common challenges, with terrorism remaining a major concern.
“Our position in that regard is very clear. It is one of zero tolerance. We appreciate the strong cooperation between the concerned agencies of our two countries in this domain. I particularly recognised the extradition from the United States to India last year of a key planner of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Our two countries will intensify cooperation bilaterally as well as in relevant international forums. We will continue to collaborate closely on countering illegal trade in narcotics,” EAM Jaishankar said.
–IANS
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