US Very Much Open To Engaging With India Today, Bullish About The Relationship, Says Jaishankar

Addressing a joint press conference with Antony Blinken, Jaishankar said India and US must jointly counter radicalisation, extremism and fundamentalism.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken

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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said US was very much open to engaging with India today than ever before and he was bullish about the relationship between the two countries, ANI reported. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was addressing a joint press conference with Jaishankar, said the partnership between the two nations was "one of most consequential in world",

Jaishankar said India and US must jointly counter radicalisation, extremism and fundamentalism. He further said that the two leaders discussed working together in plurilateral and multilateral formats as well as the Ukraine conflict and Indo-Pacific situation.

"Today, I see US which is very much open to engaging with India, thinking beyond traditional alliances...QUAD working very well today, grown remarkably now. For us, today our relationship with the US opens a whole range of possibilities....I am bullish about the relationship," the Foreign Minister said.

"I express appreciation at the strong cooperation that we got from the US on tackling international terrorism, in particular, the listing of well-known and wanted terrorists by US sanction process," ANI quoted Jaishankar as saying.

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The Foreign Minister said India and the US have strong interest in encouraging more resilient and reliable supply chains.

"India and US have a strong interest in encouraging more resilient and strong supply chains, and this requires policy decisions as well as practical measures involving business communities. We are focused on this," he said.

"Our national, economic, technological security are all enhanced by closer collaboration...There is keen interest in India's National Education Policy and we will explore how that can be used best to expand our partnership," Jaishankar further said.

Jaishankar also said there was a "very deep" concern among developing countries about how their energy needs were addressed.

"We have concerns about the price of oil. The price of oil is breaking our back. This is our big concern," ANI quoted Jaishankar as saying.

"Energy markets under stress must soften up. We'd judge any situation by how it affects us and other countries global south. There is a very deep concern among developing countries about how their energy needs are addressed or not," he said.

In his address, Blinken said the leaders talked about ways to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries and advance shared objectives.

"Partnership between our countries -- India and US -- is one of most consequential in world. It is vital to address every global challenge that people face. No two countries have a greater ability, opportunity and responsibility to try to shape the future," he said.

"With India holding the presidency at the UNSC in December and taking over the presidency at G20 next year, will be able to drive more global cooperation and action together," Blinken further said.