US-India Foreign Ministers Discuss Indo-Pacific Issue At Indonesia ASEAN Meet

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Jakarta and discussed issues like Ukraine, Myanmar and Indo-Pacific.

“Pleasure to meet Secretary Blinken. Followed up on PM Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the US. Also exchanged views on Ukraine, Myanmar and Indo-Pacific,” the minister, who is in the Indonesian capital, tweeted.

The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region, comprising the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea.

The US, India and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China’s rising military manoeuvring in the resource-rich region.

The minister is visiting Indonesia for the Foreign Ministers’ Meetings under the ASEAN framework in the format — ASEAN-India, East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum.

After Jakarta, S Jaishankar will travel to Bangkok in Thailand to participate in the 12th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Mechanism on July 16 and also attend the BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Retreat on July 17.