Covid-19 relief and Quad will be high on agenda when External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar meets US President Joe Biden later this week in Washington DC, the first visit by a top Indian official after Biden entered the White House.
Jaishankar’s visit will likely focus on the whole range of India-US bilateral relationship – from strategic and bilateral ties to Quad and climate change to public health issues, which is now a top priority for both the countries.
“The Secretary looks forward to meeting minister Jaishankar during his visit and discussing a broad range of issues, including Covid-19 relief, efforts to strengthen Indo-Pacific cooperation through the Quad, enhanced UN and multilateral cooperation, and a range of other shared regional security and economic priorities,” a State Department spokesperson said, according to news agency PTI.
As an act of friendship and key bilateral relationship, President Joe Biden sent two of his top officials – Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and climate change envoy John Kerry – to India within the first 100 days of this administration.
The visit by the cabinet rank officials, who are also part of Biden’s national security team, reflects on the importance he attaches to ties with India.
With respect to the coronavirus pandemic, officials have said that the US President has given a ‘blank cheque’ to India for anything that it needs to win the battle against the Covid-19 virus.
Till date, of the $500 million in Covid-19 assistance provided to India, the US alone has sent relief worth $100 million.
Given what India is dealing with right now, Covid-19 will certainly be a key topic of discussion, along with other significant issues such as defence, climate change and developments in the Indian sub-continent.
