S Jaishankar, Antony Blinken meet in Germany's Munich: What did they discuss?

External affairs minister S Jaishankar held bilateral talks with US secretary of state Antony Blinken in Munich, Germany, on the sidelines of the ongoing security conference there and discussed the progress of US-India ties and the ongoing crisis at the Red Sea.

The talks between the two leaders centred on the ongoing situation in West Asia, Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the ‘Davos of Defence’ Munich Security Conference.

Taking to his official handle on social media platform X, S Jaishankar wrote, “Great to meet my friend US @SecBlinken this afternoon on MSC 2024 sidelines. Our talk centered on the situation in West Asia, Ukraine and Indo-Pacific. Reviewed the continuing progress in our bilateral ties.”

US state department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, “Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar today in Munich, Germany, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. Secretary Blinken and External Affairs Minister Jaishankar discussed the need to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.”

“Secretary Blinken highlighted that the respective U.S. and Indian approaches to maritime security in the Red Sea are mutually reinforcing and play important roles in safeguarding economic stability in the region. The Secretary and External Affairs Minister also discussed ongoing work to ensure lasting peace and security in the Middle East," he added.

"We're working closely on a whole host of vital priorities that are making a difference in the lives of people in India and people in the United States: increasing mutual prosperity, advancing democracy and human rights, addressing climate change, upholding together the rules-based international order," an official release by the US State Department quoted Blinken as saying further.

Apart from Blinken, Jaishankar also held talks with his Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly, where they discussed the "present state" of bilateral ties and the current global issues between the two countries.

The 60th Munich Security Conference (MSC) got underway an in-person event from February 16-18, 2024, at its traditional venue, the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich, according to an official statement.

(With inputs from PTI)