New Delhi, During the talks with visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, security was a major focus area of discussions, especially in the context of Afghanistan to ensure that terrorism does not emanate from the Taliban-ruled country, and India also highlighted its concerns about Pakistan, and its perspective of the role of Pakistan, a top official said on Thursday.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, briefing media on the talks between Sherman and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, said there was a major focus on Afghanistan on the issue of security. “And how we can ensure that both countries, as well as the global community, to ensure that terrorism does not emanate from Afghanistan. How we can ensure the security is maintained after the US withdrawal, discussions did take place on that.
"We highlighted also our perspective of the role of Pakistan and what are our concerns regarding that,” he said.
On the subject of India’s purchase of the S-400 missile system from Russia, he said that the issue has been on the discussion table between the two countries for some time. “It was raised and we have discussed and explained our perspective. The discussions on this are ongoing.”
On the US saying that Iran was discussed during the talks, the MEA spokesperson said that it was in the context of Afghanistan.
“The EAM was in Tehran for the inauguration of the new Iranian president and he had another visit, a transit stopover, and we shared on what is the relationship and where we stand with Iran. As you know the US does not have a direct relationship there, but Iran is an important partner for us.”
On the issue of Russia being raised by the US side, the spokespersons said that “Similarly, Russia is a privileged strategic partner for us, and we have good relations with them. We had a brief exchange of views on some of them.”
On the issue of China being discussed, he said “China was discussed, yes, naturally it is an important player and important country, and both countries shared their perspectives on China.”
To a question on why the US raises the issue of democracy during its talks with India, the spokesperson said: “First and foremost we are democracies, we are fellow democracies, the presence in the Quad demonstrates that. I would pose a counter to that, it’s but natural that we should discuss, uphold, highlight democracy. You heard the PM speak at length at the UNGA, the statement that democracies can deliver, and this is something working together we can become an example of how we can bring benefit to other partners across, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.”
“I don’t see it at all as being told or something that we should mention.”
“It’s something that both countries pride in and value, and it’s something we naturally speak about, these common shared values.”
On the talks with Sherman, he said they were “very, very intensive, very useful and productive”.
He highlighted the close exchanges the two sides have been having, ranging from the visit of the US Defence Secretary, to that of the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. “Our conversations have been at the level of Prime Minister and President virtually, the EAM level discussions with Secretary of State Blinken on the margins of various meetings that have happened this year, and culminating in the successful visit of our PM to Washington for the Quad as well as bilateral meetings at the end of September. It shows the kind of deep engagement that has been going on with the US for the last few months under the current Biden administration.”
He said there will be “a lot more engagement on the sectoral on the different pillars and sectors that encompass our engagement with the US, and the visit of US Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman was an element of that engagement.”
On the Indo-Pacific, he said “There is a clear understanding of how we look at the region, and the Indo-Pacific is a format that is now well established, be it in the American system or in other countries; you’ve seen the EU looking at the Indo-Pacific strategy, there are countries as far out as Latin America talking about of Indo Pacific. I think that is a term that has come to stay and it encompasses a perspective that we share.”
On the bilateral element of the talks, he said “Discussions happened on the bilateral element, and how we can take forward discussions from both the Quad and the bilateral segment during the PMs visit to the US. I think an overall understanding, which you can see from statements put out, from both sides, of the importance that we attach to the bilateral relationship, and not just to the bilateral relationship but to the value that both countries attach to working together for addressing problems in other regions also.”
“It’s a partnership which the PM mentioned is a partnership based on trust, one based on the tradition of democracy, talent, technology, as well as we’re looking at a decade of transformation,” he added.