Indian MEA S Jaishankar holds talks with US State Secretary G-20 Summit

New Delhi: On the backdrop of the G-20 summit, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held talks with the foreign ministers of the United States, Russia, France and Saudi Arabia. Jaishankar said he had open discussions with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken over global challenges. The US Secretary of State has said that India is a ‘great partner’ of the United States. The United States is discussing every issue in the world, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict with India, said the US Secretary of State.

Amid the Ukraine conflict, a meeting of G-20 foreign ministers was held in Bali, the capital of Indonesia. During the meeting, Jaishankar held discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. On Friday, Jaishankar held bilateral talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. Besides, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar’s discussion with US State Secretary Antony Blinken has drawn attention.

It was already clear at the G-20 summit that the United States would try to unite against the Russian attack on Ukraine. It was revealed that the US was looking at the G-20 summit as an opportunity to put new pressure on India, which has consistently taken a stand that it will take sides with neither nation in the Ukraine conflict. The US Secretary of State conveyed the ‘message’ that his country views India as an important partner. He also said that the United States was discussing every issue with India, including the Ukraine conflict.

At the time, State Secretary Blinken said that over the last year and a half, the United States has been making efforts to push dialogue with India.