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NORTH AmERIcAN Newsline February 12, 2021 | The Indian Eye 21

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu

icy in the Indo-Pacific”, report- with India across the Indo-Pa- portant initiative. Our defense with Indian Ambassador to the
ed the daily quoting a source. cific is critical to addressing trade has grown significantly United States Taranjit Singh
During the call, Modi con- challenges we face in the region in a short span of time, and to- Sandhu about the farmers pro-
veyed his warmest congratu- and globally. @DrSJaishankar day stands at over $21 billion.” test in India.
lations to Biden and also took and I had a fruitful discussion Sandhu also said that the On Friday, while sharing
the opportunity to invite him about ways to strengthen our United States and India have the news about the meeting
and First lady Dr Jill Biden cooperation to address region- been working together for on Twitter, Sherman said: “I
to visit India at their earliest al developments, including the co-production and co-devel- urged the Indian government
convenience. According to the situation in Burma.” opment of defense equipment to make sure that the norms of
Ministry of External Affairs On the other hand, Jais- under the Defense Technology democracy are maintained and
(MEA), the leaders discussed hankar tweeted: “Welcomed and Trade Initiative, which was that protesters are allowed to
at length regional develop- the comprehensive discussion started during former President protest peaceably and to have
ments and the wider geo-po- today with @SecBlinken. Re- Barack Obama’s administra- access to the Internet, and to
litical context. They also noted viewed Indo-Pacific develop- tion. He further added that the journalists. All friends of India
that the India-US partnership ments and Quad cooperation. industries and innovators from hope that the parties can reach
is firmly anchored in a shared Exchanged views on the situ- both countries are working to- an agreement.”
commitment to democratic ation in Myanmar. Look for- gether to chart out trustworthy Indian envoy Sandhu stated
values and common strategic ward to remaining in touch.” supply chains in next-genera- that there were “detailed dis-
interests. In a related development, tion defense technology, and cussions on varied issues with
Both the leaders reiterated Indian Ambassador to the to carry out joint research and the leadership of the House
the importance of working with United States Taranjit Singh development, manufacturing, Caucus on India and Indi-
like-minded countries to en- Sandhu said that the India-US innovation, and experimenting an Americans for the 117th
sure a rules-based internation- defense trade which has signifi- in new domains of cooperation. Congress.” He further added
al order and a free, open and cantly grown currently stands “We are closely working to- that he is looking forward to
inclusive Indo-Pacific region. at $21 billion while highlighting gether to ensure a free, open, working with them to boost In-
Later, in a conversation be- that the bilateral military and and inclusive Indo-Pacific,” dia-US ties.
tween US Secretary of State security ties are stronger than said Sandhu. He stated that the This was the first meeting of
Antony Blinken and External ever before. Sandhu said that countries will continue to work the India Caucus on the farm-
Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, India’s designation as a “Ma- towards strengthening the de- ers protest issue. For the past
both leaders reaffirmed the jor Defense Partner”, Strategic fense and security partnership. two months, farmers have been
US-India partnership and dis- Trade Authorization-1 Status But there are some prob- protesting in India against the
cussed expanded cooperation by the United States, and the lem areas too. Last week, top Indian government’s three new
across the Indo-Pacific region. signing of the four foundation- US Congress members in the controversial farm laws passed
According to a statement by al agreements with Washington India Caucus asked the Indi- in September. As we have re-
US State Department spokes- will improve military-to-mili- an government to make sure ported earlier, the internet has
person Ned Price, Blinken and tary cooperation between the that the norms of democracy been restricted in various pro-
Jaishankar discussed regional two nations. are maintained, farmers are test sites in the country.
developments, including the In an interview with the allowed to protest peacefully, US Republican Congress-
value of cooperation across the Press Trust of India (PTI) when and provide internet access to man Steve Cohen shared a New
Indo-Pacific. Both sides also asked about India-US relations, protestors and journalists. US York Times article regarding
looked forward to expanded Sandhu said: “Our defense ex- Democratic Congressman and curtailing freedom of speech in
regional cooperation, includ- ercises – in bilateral and pluri- Co-Chair of the Congressio- India on Twitter and stated that
ing through the Quad and lateral formats, have increased nal India Caucus Brad Sher- he is closely watching the farm-
to address the challenges of in both frequency, scope, and man said that he convened a ers protest “with concern about
COVID-19 and climate change. coverage. The recently conclud- meeting with his Republican potential attacks on freedom of
Taking to Twitter to in- ed Exercise Malabar with the Co-Chair, Congressman Steve speech including cuts to inter-
form about the conversation, United States, Japan, and Aus- Chabot, and Vice-Chair Con- net service and state-sponsored
Blinken said: “Our partnership tralia has been yet another im- gressman Ro Khanna to speak violence.”

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