Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday discussed Covid-19 relief including vaccine supplies to India, strengthening of Indo-Pacific cooperation through the Quad alliance, combating climate crisis and enhancing multilateral cooperation.

Blinken said that the US will support India in its time of crisis just as India had supported the US earlier. “We remember in the earlier days of Covid, India was there for the US, something we will never forget, and now we want to make sure that we are there for and with India,” Blinken said in his remarks to the media before the meeting without directly mentioning vaccines.

“The talks have further solidified the strategic partnership and enlarged our agenda of cooperation,” Jaishankar tweeted after the meeting. "Also focussed on India-US vaccine partnership aimed at expanding access and ensuring supply…. Appreciated strong solidarity expressed by US at this time," Jaishankar said.

Shared interests

India and the US are united in confronting Covid-19 , in dealing with the challenge posed by climate change and are also partners through the Quad and other institutions at the UN in dealing with many of the challenges that both the countries face in the region and around the world, Blinken said. The Quad is an alliance among India, the US, Australia and Japan.

One of the top items on Jaishankar's agenda during his on-going five-day visit to the US is to seek commitments on supply of Covid-19 vaccines and vaccine raw materials to help India meet its domestic shortage and the matter has been prominently raised in most of his meetings with senior officials of the Biden government.

The US government had earlier indicated that it has about 80 million of Covid-19 vaccines to give to other countries but did not give details.

Raises vax IP issue with USTR

Jaishankar also met US Trade Representative Katherine Tai to discuss various trade related issues including the temporary waiver on TRIPS provisions for Covid-19 related vaccines and medical products proposed by India and South Africa at the WTO. “... I look forward to maintaining communication with my Indian counterparts as we battle Covid-19 and continue to pursue economic recovery of our countries," Tai tweeted after her meeting with Jaishankar.