India and US discuss regional and global issues

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday held a discussion with the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The leaders discussed regional and global issues including South Asia, Afghanistan, Indo-Pacific etc.

New Delhi:External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said that a discussion was held with US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on meeting in the 'Quad' format in the near future.

Quad is an alliance comprising four countries - Australia, the US, India and Japan.

During a telephonic conversation, Jaishankar and Pompeo also reiterated their cooperation to advance peace in Afghanistan and their commitment to fighting COVID-19.

Jaishankar tweeted, "A wide-ranging conversation yesterday night with @SecPompeo. Reviewed our bilateral cooperation including working of relevant mechanisms. Shared assessments on regional and global issues including South Asia, Afghanistan, Indo-Pacific and beyond."

"Exchanged views on responding to the Coronavirus challenge. Discussed meeting in the Quad format in the near future," he said.

Reiterating India-US relationship, Pompeo said, "Great speaking with Indian Minister of External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar about the US-India relationship and our work to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. We remain united to advance peace in Afghanistan, and to a secure and sovereign Indo-Pacific in which all countries can prosper."

Principal Deputy Spokesperson, US State Department Cale Brown, in a statement, said that both leaders agreed to continue close cooperation on a full range of regional and international issues and look forward to Quadrilateral consultations and the US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue later this year.

Pompeo had recently said that US, Australia, India and Japan had reinvigorated the Quad grouping.

"We are proud to have stepped up maritime manoeuvres in that body of water alongside friends like Australia, India, Japan and the UK," he said.

He said that the ASEAN member countries have insisted that the South China Sea disputes must be settled on the basis of international law, including UNCLOS.

Pompeo has been urging countries to push back against China, whose Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is "bullying" its neighbours and "militarising" features in the South China Sea, rather than helping the world in mitigating the COVID-19 crisis.

(ANI)