At a press briefing on Monday (local US time), White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt underlined India’s significance as a key partner in the Indo-Pacific region.
She also spoke of the close personal rapport between US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Responding to a question from ANI on Washington’s stance towards Beijing’s role in the region, Leavitt stated, “India remains a very strategic ally in the Asia Pacific and the President has a very good relationship with Prime Minister Modi, and he will continue to have that.”
Her comments coincided with the visit of India’s External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, to the United States for the QUAD Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
While in New York, Jaishankar inaugurated a United Nations exhibition titled ‘The Human Cost of Terrorism’, designed to spotlight the global consequences of state-sponsored terrorism.
QUAD’s diplomatic mission
The QUAD, comprising India, the United States, Japan, and Australia, actively promotes a free, inclusive, and stable Indo-Pacific region as a diplomatic coalition.
The group was first formed following joint relief efforts after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
In related developments, it was officially confirmed on 18 June that President Trump has accepted Prime Minister Modi’s invitation to participate in the forthcoming QUAD Summit in New Delhi later this year.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri revealed details of a conversation between the two leaders, which took place on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada.
“For the next meeting of QUAD, PM Modi invited President Trump to India. While accepting the invitation, President Trump said that he is excited to come to India,” Misri shared in a video statement.
Leavitt’s remarks on India’s strategic importance followed her response to another ANI question regarding the status of a potential trade agreement between the two nations.
“Yes, the President said that last week (that the US and India are very close to a trade deal), and it remains true. I just spoke to our Secretary of Commerce about it. He was in the Oval Office with the President. They are finalising these agreements, and you’ll hear from the President and his trade team very soon when it comes to India,” she noted.
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