US Vice President Vance dials PM Modi, discusses strategic partnership

New Delhi, Aug 9 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday received a phone call from the US Vice-President JD Vance; both discussed ways to further deepen India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership across key areas.

PM Modi also congratulated JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, on the birth of their son and conveyed best wishes to the family.

“Received a phone call from US Vice-President JD Vance. We discussed ways to further deepen India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership across key areas. Warmly congratulated him and the Second Lady on the birth of their son and conveyed best wishes to the entire family,” PM Modi said on social media platform X.

According to a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), PM Modi and J.D. Vance noted the sustained momentum in the high-level engagements and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation in various sectors.

“They noted the sustained momentum in the high-level engagements and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation in trade, defence, critical and emerging technologies, energy security and critical minerals. They also exchanged views on regional and global developments of mutual interest,” the PMO said.

In July this year, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar agreed to accelerate work on key defence agreements and conclude an interim bilateral trade deal that Washington said is “almost complete”, signalling fresh momentum in the strategic partnership between the two countries.

The two leaders met in Manila on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ meetings, where they also reviewed developments in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific, according to a US State Department readout.

“Secretary Rubio met today with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Manila. The Secretary (Rubio) and Minister Jaishankar discussed recent developments in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific,” State Department Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in the official readout.

The two sides also reviewed progress on defence cooperation.

“The Secretary (Rubio) and Minister Jaishankar discussed finalising key defence agreements in fulfilment of commitments made between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi last year,” the readout said.

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