Misri, Rubio Talk on Trade, Quad; US Secretary plans India Visit
The upcoming visit to New Delhi by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was announced following a productive meeting with India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, covering various topics, such as trade and the Quad, strengthening ties between the two nations.
Misri, currently engaged in a three-day visit in this location, convened with Rubio at the White House.
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"Welcome to the White House @VikramMisri! Productive meeting with @SecRubio that focused on our bilateral relationship, especially trade, critical minerals, defence and the Quad," US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, who was also present at the meeting, posted on X.
During their meeting, the two leaders extensively discussed various aspects of bilateral relations, with a particular focus on trade, the acquisition of critical minerals, defense strategies, and the Quad alliance.
Secretary Rubio anticipates his upcoming visit to India in the following month, as mentioned by Gor.
"Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau met with Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri today in Washington. The leaders reaffirmed the close partnership between the two countries and shared news about the situation in the Persian Gulf and other global and regional priorities," Tommy Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesman for the Department of State, said in a statement.
Previously, Misri conducted individual discussions with US Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau and US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker. Hooker indicated that she had a conversation with Misri regarding potential collaborations between India and the US in the realms of security, defense, and economics.
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The Indian embassy in the United States stated that Hooker and Misri conducted a comprehensive review of the bilateral agenda between India and the US following the Foreign Office Consultations that took place in December of last year.
The two diplomats additionally exchanged evaluations regarding recent occurrences in the West Asia region, along with discussing mutual interests surrounding regional affairs. US Vice President J D Vance is currently heading a delegation to Islamabad in order to engage in discussions with Iranian officials following the agreement of a two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan.
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“Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri had a fruitful interaction with the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment Mike Duffey @USDASDuffey at the Pentagon,” the Indian Embassy said in another post on X.
The two leaders engaged in a dialogue regarding methods to enhance the interconnectedness of defense industries, technologies, and supply chains between India and the US, aligning with the ambitious objectives outlined in the agreement for the bilateral Major Defense Partnership signed the previous year, as stated by the embassy.
Misri had a meeting with the under secretaries, Jeffrey Kessler and William Kimmitt, within the Department of Commerce premises. Kessler holds the position of Under Secretary for the Bureau of Industry and Security, whereas Kimmitt serves as the Under Secretary for the International Trade Administration.