SECRETARY BLINKEN: Good morning.
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER JAISHANKAR: Good morning.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thanks, everyone.
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER JAISHANKAR: Thank you. Are we supposed to say something? Okay. So, Secretary Blinken, Tony, let me welcome you. I – this is your third visit this year?
SECRETARY BLINKEN: That sounds right.
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER JAISHANKAR: But – and of course, we’ve been meeting elsewhere. But this meeting, this visit of yours, I think has a particular significance because, one, we need to follow up on the prime minister’s June visit and the President’s coming here in September. So there’s a lot of bilateral stuff we need to do. Two, of course, we – this is the 2+2, so we take a broader view of what we are doing. And then of course, as Quad members, there’s the Indo-Pacific that we are focusing on. And finally, we look at global regional issues, and I think what’s happening in West Asia – the Middle East for you folks – that I think is a very big concern right now, and I look forward to discussing those and other matters with you.
Once again, you’re very welcome.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you, Jai, very much. It’s always wonderful to be in India. We’re building on a rather remarkable year of engagement, and I think it’s just evidence of the fact that we have not only the strongest bilateral partnership we ever had, but also a regional one and, indeed, a global one. And that was further evidenced by India’s leadership of the G20 this year. As Jai said, we have a lot to do, including with our defense colleagues, so I’m very much looking forward to that. And I think it’s further evidence of our resolute focus for the United States on the Indo-Pacific – our region – for the future, and the future is actually now and we’re building it now and we’re building it together with India.
So I look very much forward to good conversations, and very good to be back. Thank you.
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER JAISHANKAR: Let me just add one last word.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Please.
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER JAISHANKAR: I think we had a very successful G20 Summit in September, and I do want to thank you and the U.S. Government and President Biden on behalf of the prime minister, because I think without the strong support which the U.S. gave us, I don’t think we would have got the consensus and the outcomes that we did. So I think it’s important in reaching that.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thanks, my friend.
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER JAISHANKAR: Thank you.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thanks, everyone.
