New Delhi. 09 July 2020. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale held virtual Foreign Office Consultations on 7 July 2020. They reviewed the entire gamut of engagements under the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, including political, economic, commercial, regional and international cooperation.
In the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, they agreed to further strengthen the bilateral health partnership, including on pharmaceuticals and vaccine development. They discussed ways to further enhance mutually beneficial trade and people-to-people ties, including through visa facilitation for students and professionals.
Foreign Secretary Shringla and Under Secretary Hale exchanged views on a number of regional and global issues of shared interest. They reaffirmed their commitment to work towards ensuring a free, open, inclusive, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific. They agreed on the need to deepen cooperation in the United Nations, especially during India’s membership of the United Nations Security Council for the period 2021-2022.
They agreed to remain in touch and move forward on the bilateral agenda through a range of mechanisms like the 2+2 Ministerial that India will host later this year.
