US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen E Biegun discussed US efforts to work with India and like-minded partners on a range of issues including regional security, economic cooperation and addressing the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic in his meetings with senior officials in India this week.

“At the India-US Forum, Deputy Secretary Stephen Biegun joined Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla to underscore the importance of the US-India partnership, particularly in advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific,” according to an official release of the US Department of State.

During his visit to New Delhi from October 12 to 14, Biegun delivered keynote remarks at the India-US Forum and met with senior Indian government officials ahead of the US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue later this year.

The Deputy Secretary stressed on the work of the Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or QSD) countries — the US, India, Australia, Japan — toward a region protected and made prosperous in equal measure by strong and peaceful nations in the Indo-Pacific. He also underscored enhanced cooperation among the Quad to create resilient supply chains, promote transparency, and increase maritime security, topics most recently discussed in the October 6 meeting of Foreign Ministers attended by US Secretary of State Michael Richard Pompeo, the release said.

Biegun’s focus on the Quad is important as the grouping is also seen as an arrangement to check the growing influence of China across the world.

Biegun held meetings with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla and Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, the release said.

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