India-US Ties In Focus As Key Officials Meet In Kuala Lumpur

KUALA LUMPUR- Ministry of External Affairs’ Secretary P Kumaran met US Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, S Paul Kapur, in Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur on October 27 as both sides exchanged views on India-US relations.

The meeting between Kumaran and Kapur came as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Kuala Lumpur and appreciated the discussion on bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues.

Earlier, Rubio dismissed growing concerns that Washington’s growing strategic ties with Pakistan are meant to sideline India. He noted that the relationship with Islamabad would not undermine the US’ “deep, historic, and important” partnership with New Delhi. 

While speaking to reporters en route to Doha, Qatar, on October 25, Rubio asserted that New Delhi understands the necessity of engaging multiple nations in a mature diplomatic framework. “I don’t think anything we’re doing with Pakistan comes at the expense of our relationship or friendship with India, which is deep, historic, and important,” Rubio told reporters when asked about India’s apprehensions over the recent surge in the US-Pakistan relationship. (IANS)