EAM Jaishankar meets US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, discusses Indo-Pacific Economic Framework

Washington/New Delhi, Oct 1 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM), S. Jaishankar met with US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in Washington D.C. and discussed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework alongside high technology cooperation between the two countries.

The talks between the two Ministers also covered resilient supply chains, Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, high technology cooperation, semiconductors and business promotion as EAM Jaishankar arrived in the US capital on Sunday.

In a tweet, EAM Jaishankar on Tuesday wrote, “Great to see Commerce Secretary @SecRaimondo today in Washington DC. We discussed semiconductors, iCET, critical minerals, trusted partnerships and supply chain resiliency. Value the strides we are making in our tech collaboration and economic partnership.”

This marks the first visit of EAM Jaishankar to the US capital since the Modi government was re-elected for a third consecutive term.

This meeting comes a day before EAM Jaishankar meets his US counterpart Secretary Antony Blinken on Tuesday.

Both EAM Jaishankar and US Commerce Secretary Raimondo also discussed the US-India CEO Forum and US-India Commercial Dialogue, two Department of Commerce and Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry-led initiatives that aim to strengthen the US-India trade and investment relationship, said a press statement released by the US Department of Commerce.

Both the Ministers also commended the progress made till now under the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) and reiterated their shared commitment to continuing to advance the work to operationalise the IPEF agreements, the statement added.

The External Affairs Minister concluded the high-level United Nations General Assembly debate in New York on Saturday (September 28). EAM Jaishankar was in New York from September 18 to 24.

IPEF, a group of 13 countries, is a multilateral economic framework. Since its launch in May 2022, IPEF countries have engaged in intensive discussions to scope out each pillar of the Framework.

The IPEF was launched jointly by the US and other partner countries of the Indo-Pacific region on May 23, 2022, in Tokyo.

During his stay, in addition to his meeting with Blinken on Tuesday, EAM Jaishankar will also engage with other high-ranking officials from the US administration, as well as members of the Cabinet.

His itinerary includes an interaction with the think-tank community, notably a session hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP), where he will discuss the future of US-India relations.

The CEIP, a globally recognised non-partisan think-tank with a focus on international affairs, operates across various regions, including Europe, South Asia, East Asia, the Middle East, and the US.

EAM Jaishankar will join CEIP President Mariano Florentino Cuellar in a conversation focused on the evolving strategic partnership between the US and India.

The think-tank underscored India’s increasing global strategic importance, particularly in shaping US foreign policy.

Citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US in 2023 and his more recent bilateral meeting with President Joe Biden, CEIP highlighted how these interactions demonstrate the growing significance of US-India ties.

On September 30, President Biden hosted Prime Minister Modi at his residence in Greenville, Delaware, where both leaders discussed an array of regional and global issues.

PM Modi described the talks as “extremely fruitful” in a social media post. Similarly, President Biden expressed his admiration for PM Modi’s ability to identify new avenues for cooperation during each of their meetings.

In its announcement of the upcoming session, CEIP remarked, “Amid fast-paced global developments, India’s bilateral ties with the US have grown more extensive. The two countries have deepened partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, as well as on defence innovation and critical and emerging technologies.”

The event will also address pressing questions about India’s role in global leadership and how the two nations can strengthen cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, democracy, security, and trade.

–IANS

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