"We have a close partnership with our counterparts in India," says Principal Dy Spokesperson of US State Department

When asked about the meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar that took place in the end of November in Italy at the G7, Patel said that the US has a close partnership with their Indian counterparts.

"We have a close partnership with our counterparts in India. Of course, a range of those are security issues, trade issues, of course consular issues as well, including visas. We read out that meeting with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar... Over the course of our time in the Biden administration, India has been a key partner in the Indo-Pacific on a number of shared issues, and we continue to look forward to working with them in our time in this administration," he said.

Blinken met with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar on the margins of the G7 meeting in Fiuggi, Italy. Blinken and Jaishankar affirmed the US and India's enduring commitment to deepening bilateral ties. The Secretary underscored the United States' desire to continue coordinating closely with India to address global security challenges.

https://x.com/StateDept/status/1861590374571221282

In a post on X, Jaishankar said in his bilateral meeting with Blinken, they discussed India-US partnership.

https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1861440390139613505

"Always good to meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, this time in Fiuggi, Italy. Discussed the state of the world and India-US partnership, which continues to move forward,"

Blinken in his post on X said that the US and India ties are stronger when they are working together.

https://x.com/SecBlinken/status/1861534647907217506

"The US and India are stronger when we are working together. Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and I met today in Italy to discuss the importance of our continued close cooperation to promote global security and prosperity." (ANI)