Blinken & Jaishankar discuss bilateral ties, Indo-Pacific cooperation on sidelines of G20 meet!

ROME: External affairs minister (EAM) S Jaishankar held talks with US secretary of state Antony Blinken earlier in the day on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rome and discussed a range of issues, including efforts to strengthen Indo-Pacific cooperation through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad).

Read all the latest updates on COVID-19 here.

Later, Blinken took to Twitter and wrote, "I met with @DrSJaishankar to discuss efforts to strengthen Indo-Pacific cooperation bilaterally and through the Quad. I look forward to working together to deepen the U.S.-India Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership."

Jaishankar said that he had a very good meeting with the US secretary of state and both discussed a wide gamut of issues relating to partnership between the two nations.

"A very good meeting with Secretary of State @SecBlinken in Rome on sidelines of @G20org. Discussed a wide gamut of issues relating to our partnership. Updated each other on important regional concerns," the external affairs minister wrote on the microblogging site.

In a statement, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said, "Blinken and Jaishankar discussed a range of issues, including efforts to strengthen Indo-Pacific cooperation through the Quad and expand cooperation on common regional priorities."

Blinken and Jaishankar also reportedly discussed cooperation on expanding global access to COVID-19 vaccines, elevating climate ambition at COP26, and reinforcing their mutual commitments to and support for shared democratic values, read the statement.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the first session of the G20 Summit in Rome where global economy and health were the topics of discussion. He reached Italy on Friday to participate in the two-day G20 Summit.

The theme of this year's G20 meet under the Italian Presidency is centred around 'People, Planet and Prosperity.'