US Secretary of State Antony Blinken underscored Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statements to Russian President Vladimir Putin in Samarkand on Tuesday (local time), saying he “could not agree more” with PM Modi’s advise.
On the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand on September 16, PM Modi had said “today’s era isn’t of war” while emphasising the need to find ways to address the problems of food, fuel security and fertilizers. “I really want to emphasize on what PM Modi said. I think he captured, as well as anyone I have heard, fundamentally what this moment is about as he said, this is not an era, the time for war and we could not agree more,” Blinken during a joint press conference said.
Blinken also highlighted several issues including the ongoing Ukraine conflict, the Indo-Pacific situation.
Speaking over the Pakistan F-16 row, the US official said: “This is a sustainment program for F-16s that Pakistan has long had. These are not new planes, new systems or new weapons. It is sustaining what they have. We have a responsibility and an obligation to whomever we provide military equipment to…to make sure that its maintained. Pakistan’s program bolsters its capability to deal with terrorist threats,” Blinken said in response to a query. Earlier has raised questions over the “merits” of the US-Pakistan relationship and said that Washington’s ties with Islamabad have not served the “American interest”.
Blinken also noted that the partnership between India and United States is one of the most consequential in the world. “The partnership between India and US is simply one of the most consequential in the world. It is to address any global challenge that our people face – health security, climate change, food security and upholding free and open international order. Over the past years, we have made real progress in elevating that partnership bilaterally — through institutions like QUAD and G20 and international organisations at the United Nations,” Blinken said here.
India will take over the presidency of the Group of Twenty (G20) in December.
Speaking over the presidency, Blinken said: “With India holding the presidency at the UNSC in December and taking over the presidency at G20 next year, we will be able to drive more global cooperation and action together.”
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had spoke with Blinken during the Quad summit, which included foreign ministers from India, the United States, Australia, and Japan.
The Quad’s goal is for a region that upholds the rules-based international order and respects the ideals of freedom, rule of law, democratic values, peaceful resolution of disputes, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
During the UNGA conference, the Quad emphasised our unshakable support for the UN Charter, including its three pillars, as well as our unwavering commitment to improving and reforming the UN and international system.
