Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar at the State Department in Washington, May 28, 2021. (SAUL LOEB/POOL VIA AP)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday the United States and India are united in trying to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic together and Washington wants to make sure it takes action to help India with its coronavirus crisis.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the partnership between the United States and India is "vital," "strong" and "increasingly productive"
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who has spent the past week in the United States seeking help amid a devastating second wave of infections at home, told reporters while standing with Blinken at the State Department that India is grateful to the United States for strong support and solidarity.
READ MORE: 'Quad' leaders pledge cooperation on virus, climate
"In the earlier days of COVID, India was there for the United States – something we will never forget," Blinken said. "And now we want to make sure that we're there for India as well."
Blinken said the partnership between the United States and India is "vital," "strong" and "increasingly productive."
"We're united in confronting COVID-19 together," Blinken added. "We're united in dealing with the challenge posed by climate change, and we are partnered together directly through the Quad (which includes the United States, India, Japan and Australia), other institutions in the United Nations, in dealing with many of the challenges we face in the region and around the world."
In a meeting, Blinken and Jaishankar also discussed support for India's neighbor, Afghanistan, a state department spokesman said.
US President Joe Biden in April ordered American troops withdrawn from Afghanistan by Sept 1, embracing a risk that Afghanistan's Taliban insurgency could topple the US-backed government in Kabul.