FS Shringla calls on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, discusses bilateral ties, Afghanistan situation

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla is the highest level Indian official to meet top officials of the Biden administration after the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan that brought down curtains on the 20-year-old war.

Washington: Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla called on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday and discussed bilateral ties and the situation in Afghanistan.

Shringla, who arrived in the US capital on Wednesday to hold meetings with senior officials from President Joe Biden's administration, also met Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman.
"Foreign Secretary @harshvshringla called on US Secretary of State @SecBlinken. Discussions touched on bilateral ties and the situation in Afghanistan," the Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

During his meeting with Sherman, the foreign secretary held substantive discussions on advancing the India-US Strategic Partnership across sectors including healthcare, defense and security, trade and investment, Science and Technology, climate change, clean energy and people-to-people ties.

"They also reviewed developments in Afghanistan, Indo-Pacific region, Covid-19 pandemic and discussed cooperation in UN and other regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest," the spokesperson said.

Shringla is among the few foreign officials to be in town and the highest level Indian official to meet top officials of the Biden administration after the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan that brought down curtains on the 20-year-old war.

Shringla arrived in Washington DC from New York, where he presided over a crucial meeting of the UN Security Council on Afghanistan. India was president of the 15-member powerful wing of the UN for August.