28 July,2021 04:33 PM IST | New Delhi | Agencies
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken with India`s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi. Pic AP/PTI
"At a time of rising global threats to democracy and international freedoms -- we talk about a democratic recession -- it's vital that we two world-leading democracies continue to stand together in support of these ideals," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
On the first day of his visit to India, Blinken while addressing civil society representatives said, "Here in India, that includes the free media, independent courts, a vibrant and free and fair electoral system -- the largest expression of free political will by citizens anywhere in the world."
"We also know that successful democracies include thriving civil societies. That's how citizens become more fully engaged in the life of their communities. It's how we organize and provide the resources to respond to emergencies. And we've seen people and organizations come together throughout Covid-19 in creative and incredibly generous ways, and civil society is also where we're able to build meaningful connections across our social, religious, and cultural differences," Blinken said.
"In short, if we want to make our democracies more open, more inclusive, more resilient, more equitable, we need a vibrant civil society," he added. "And I'm really here to underscore the importance of the relationships between our countries, to try to deepen our ties and extend our cooperation. I think it's hard to find countries with more -- who do more together in more different areas than with the United States and India," Blinken said.
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"When you put it all together, the relationship between our countries is one of the most important in the world. And I think that's because not only is it a relationship between governments when we're working between our governments, but critically it's through relationships between the Indian and the American people. We're connected in so many different ways -- business ties, university ties, religious and spiritual ties, and of course, millions of family ties," Blinken said.
Blinken also announced that the US will be contributing more than 200 million dollars worth of Covid-19 assistance. "I am pleased to announce that the United States government will send additional 25 million dollars to support vaccination efforts across India," Blinken announced during a joint press conference with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. "This funding will contribute to saving a life by strengthening vaccine supply chain logistics, addressing misinformation, vaccine hesitancy and helping to train more health care workers. We are determined to end this pandemic in India and the United States. We will work to do it," he added.
Noting that the Covid-19 pandemic hit both the US and India very hard, Blinken said, "We remember with gratitude and will not forget the aid and assistance India provided to us early in the pandemic. I am proud we could return the gesture to India." Jaishankar said India has acknowledged the US efforts to keep the vaccine raw material supply chain open. "We discussed the need for global availability of affordable vaccines. We hope the US would take a sympathetic view of Indian travellers," Jaishankar said adding that they will continue to work together on vaccine availability and production. Jaishankar and Blinken discussed a wide range of issues including Afghanistan during the meeting.
"India and US share a strong interest in peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan. As a credible partner in the region, India has and will continue to make a vital contribution to Afghanistan's stability and development," Blinken said. He assured that the US and India will continue to work together to sustain the gains of the Afghan people. "We will continue to work together to sustain the gains of the Afghan people and support regional stability after the withdrawal of coalition forces from the country (Afghanistan)," he said. Blinken will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later today.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken commenced his India visit with an address to civil society leaders. Attendees included religious leaders such as Geshe Dorji Damdul of New Delhi's Tibet House, a cultural centre of the Dalai Lama.
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