US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit India on a two-day visit to India this week. The main agenda of talks during his visit will include situation in Afghanistan, the need to pressure Pakistan on terror funding and resumption of International travel. Blinken will be the second high-ranking official to visit India after the Biden administration came to power in January. US Defense Secretary Lloyd J Austin visited India for a three-day tour in March.
According to government sources, Blinken's two-day visit to India, starting July 27, will focus on building a strong alliance under the framework of the quad group of four countries. The quad includes India, Japan, Australia and the US. Both sides will take forward the Quad Vaccine Initiative, so that vaccines made in India can be supplied to countries in the Indo-Pacific region by early 2022. Sources said the agenda for Blinken's visit would be broad, with an opportunity to further strengthen bilateral cooperation and focus on trade and investment, health care, education, digital domain, innovation and security.
India will also pressurize the US administration for the gradual resumption of international travel while maintaining health protocols. In addition to humanitarian, issues of facilitating the movement of students, professionals, businessmen, and reuniting families away from loved ones due to the Coronavirus pandemic, will be discussed during Blinken's visit.
The issue of flexible supply of critical medicines and health care equipment will also be on the agenda. The two sides will exchange views on the Indo-Pacific region with a focus on COVID aid. The economic slowdown and the security scenario.
A day after reports that human rights issues raised during Blinken's visit to New Delhi. The Government sources have said that human rights and democracy are universal and go beyond any national or cultural perspective. As a long-standing pluralistic society, India will connect with those who now recognize the value of diversity, the sources said. Sources said, India is proud of its achievements in the national and cultural spheres.
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