The News Freedom
New Delhi, November 10
India and US expressed support for humanitarian pauses in Gaza and committed to continue close diplomatic coordination, in a joint statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday. The statement was issued after the Minister of External Affair, Dr S. Jaishankar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as a part of the Fifth Annual India-U.S. 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi.
The ministers committed to continue coordinating with partners in the region on humanitarian assistance to meet the urgent needs of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. They expressed support for humanitarian pauses and committed to continue close diplomatic coordination, including with key partners in the region, to prevent the conflict from spreading, preserve stability in the Middle East, and work toward a political solution and durable peace, the joint statement said.
Noting horrific terrorist attacks against Israel, the ministers reiterated that India and the United States stand with Israel against terrorism and called for adherence to international humanitarian law, including with regard to the protection of civilians. They called for the immediate release of all remaining hostages.
The ministers also discussed developments in the Indo-Pacific, Middle East, Ukraine among other regions. The ministers expressed mutual deep concern over the war in Ukraine and its tragic humanitarian consequences. They again underscored the growing impacts of this war on the global economic system and food security, with consequences predominantly affecting the global South. Both countries further pledged to continue humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine and concurred on the need for post-conflict reconstruction in Ukraine.
The ministers noted the substantial progress in transforming India-US relations across domains, based on trust and mutual understanding. Building upon the June 2023 and September 2023 visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joseph Biden, the Ministers reaffirmed the importance of the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership in ensuring international peace and security. “The Ministers also underlined their strong commitment to safeguarding a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific through mechanisms like the Quad,” the joint statement highlighted.
The joint statement further said as natural and trusted partners with a shared commitment to advance democracy, human rights, and pluralism, and growing convergence of strategic interests, India and the United States reaffirmed their resolve to promote a resilient, rules-based international order with respect for international law, including the UN Charter, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to ensure peace and prosperity for all.