India, US discuss crisis with China

The Sino-Indian military stand-off as part of “recent destabilising actions in the region” by China was understood to have been discussed during a phone call between external affairs minister S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo on Friday.

During the conversation, both nations decided to hold a meeting in the four-nation ‘Quadrilateral’ format — involving India, the US, Japan and Australia — to increase cooperation amid increasing Chinese military assertiveness in the region.

The US State Department’s principal deputy spokesperson Cale Brown said, in a statement, that the two sides discussed ongoing bilateral and multilateral cooperation on issues of international concern, including efforts to combat the Covid-19, support the peace process in Afghanistan, and address recent destabilising actions in the region.”

The US added, “Secretary Pompeo and minister Jaishankar reiterated the strength of the US-India relationship to advance peace, prosperity, and security in the Indo-Pacific and around the globe. Both leaders agreed to continue close cooperation on a full range of regional and global issues and look forward to Quadrilateral consultations and the U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue later this year.”

Meanwhile, Jaishankar tweeted on Friday, “A wide-ranging conversation yesterday night with @SecPompeo. Reviewed our bilateral cooperation including working of relevant mechanisms.”