US President Joe Biden faced criticism from around the world after he referred to Japan and India as ‘xenophobic’ and grouped India and Japan together with Russia and China as countries that ‘don’t want immigrants’. In response to these claims of xenophobia and concerns about the Indian economy, EAM S Jaishankar addressed these issues during the ET Roundtable on May 5, 2024.
Tag: EAM
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Boosting cooperation on COVID-19 vaccines to be focus of Jaishankar’s 5-day visit to US
By PTI
NEW DELHI: Procurement of coronavirus vaccines and raw materials to boost domestic production is set to be a major focus area of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s five-day visit to the United States beginning Monday.Announcing the visit, the Ministry of External Affairs said Jaishankar will hold discussions with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and meet other senior officials of the Biden administration during his visit from May 24 to 28.
It will be the first visit by a senior Indian minister to the US after President Joe Biden assumed office in January.
It is learnt that Jaishankar is likely to press for further speeding up of the supply of raw materials from the US to boost vaccine production in India besides exploring the option of joint production.
There is a view in India that the Defence Production Act (DPA) of the US has put some restrictions on the export of raw materials by American companies.
In early February, the US government invoked the DPA to limit exports of the raw materials to expand domestic vaccine production.
Hit by a devastating second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, India has been focusing on ramping up domestic production of COVID-19 vaccines as well their procurement from abroad.
“In Washington DC, the External Affairs Minister will hold discussions with his counterpart Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
He will also be meeting Cabinet members and Senior Officials of the Administration dealing with the bilateral relationship,” the MEA said in a statement.
It said he will have two interactions with business forums on economic and COVID-related cooperation between the two countries.
Jaishankar had met Blinken earlier this month on the sidelines of a meeting of foreign ministers of G-7 countries in London.
The MEA said Jaishankar will also meet UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York.
Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday that India is engaged with American entities for procurement of COVID-19 vaccines and their possible manufacturing in India subsequently.
“We remain engaged with US entities on the prospect of procuring vaccines from the US and also perhaps manufacturing them in India subsequently,” Bagchi said.
The US announced earlier this week that it will share an additional 20 million coronavirus vaccine doses with other countries in addition to the 60 million it has already committed.
The Biden administration has not yet announced the possible recipients of the vaccine doses.
Recently, Charge D’Affaires of the US embassy Daniel B Smith said the US was looking at joint production of Johnson and Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccines in India and ways to help manufacturers like the Serum Institute of India (SII) to boost production.
As India was facing a rapid increase in coronavirus infections, the US sent six plane loads of life-saving supplies in support of the country’s fight against the pandemic.
Earlier this month, the US sent to India raw materials for vaccine production which it said would enable the manufacture of 20 million doses of the Covishield vaccines.
Providing raw materials for the production of coronavirus vaccines was a major component of the Biden administration’s announcement on medical aid to India.
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Delhi CM doesn’t speak for India: Centre after Singapore objects to Kejriwal’s claim of ‘new Covid strain’
By Online Desk
A day after Singapore Health Ministry objected Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s claim of a Singapore variant of Covid-19 strain, the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said ‘Delhi CM does not speak for India.’The Union Minister, while condeming Kejriwal’s comments said, “Singapore and India have been solid partners in the fight against Covid-19. However, irresponsible comments from those who should know better can damage long-standing partnerships”
Singapore and India have been solid partners in the fight against Covid-19.Appreciate Singapore’s role as a logistics hub and oxygen supplier. Their gesture of deploying military aircraft to help us speaks of our exceptional relationship. @VivianBala https://t.co/x7jcmoyQ5a
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 19, 2021Asserting that the Delhi Chief Minister had no competence to pronounce on Covid variants or civil aviation policy, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “Singapore Government called in our High Commissioner today to convey strong objection to Delhi CM’s tweet on “Singapore variant”.
On May 18 Arvind Kejriwal tweeted that a “new Covid strain found in Singapore is dangerous for children. It could come to India in the form of a third wave.”
“My appeal to the Central government: 1. Cancel all air services with Singapore with immediate effect 2. Work on vaccine alternatives for children on a priority basis,” Kejriwal further added.
In its reaction, the Singapore health ministry said there was is no truth in the claim.
ALSO WATCH:
(Inputs from ENS)
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India on track to meet its climate change mitigation commitments: S Jaishankar
Jaishankar said the renewable energy installed capacity in India has grown 162 per cent in the last five years.
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EAM Jaishankar holds talks with Nepalese counterpart Pradeep Kumar Gyawali
By PTI
NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday held talks with his Nepalese counterpart Pradeep Kumar Gyawali with a focus on various key aspects of the bilateral relations.The talks are taking place under the framework of the Indo-Nepal joint commission meeting (JCM), officials said.
Gyawali arrived here on Thursday on a three-day visit.
He is the first senior political leader from Nepal to visit India after the ties between the two countries came under strain following a border row.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava on Thursday gave clear indication that the boundary issue is unlikely to be discussed at the JCM.
Responding to questions on the border row, he said at a media briefing: “Our position on the boundary issue is well known. Let me say that the JCM and boundary talks are separate mechanisms.”
He said the JCM is an important mechanism that provides the opportunity of reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral partnership and providing political guidance to further enhance the unique ties between the two countries.
“We look forward to constructive discussions on the numerous sectors that encompass our bilateral agenda,” he said.
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India to give priority to Sri Lanka while supplying COVID vaccine to other nations: EAM
By PTI
COLOMBO: India has agreed to give priority to Sri Lanka when supplying its COVID-19 vaccine to other countries, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday told Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, according to an official statement issued here.The Drug Controller General of India on Sunday approved the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech, for restricted emergency use in the country, paving the way for a massive inoculation drive.
The president told the Indian minister that Sri Lanka wishes to obtain the Indian vaccine, Rajapaksa’s office said in a statement.
According to the statement, Jaishankar told President Rajapaksa that India has agreed to give priority to Sri Lanka when supplying the Indian vaccine to other countries.
The two countries discussed further areas of cooperation, including the Colombo port’s eastern container terminal, it said.
The port’s proposed deal with India has created a political controversy in the recent weeks as trade unions of Rajapaksa’s own party stand vehemently opposed to the deal.
On Wednesday, Prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in Parliament officially denied any formal deal with India or any other country on the Colombo port while responding to an Opposition query.
Other ongoing Indian projects in Sri Lanka were also discussed during the meeting between the President and the visiting External Affairs Minister.
The President also discussed with Jaishankar ways to revive tourism as the two countries have decided to hold joint discussions with India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Maldives on reviving tourism which was hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
Jaishankar is on a three-day visit here from December 5 to 7 at the invitation of his Sri Lankan counterpart Gunawardena.
This is the first visit by a foreign dignitary to Sri Lanka in the new year.
A group of Ukrainian tourists became the first batch of holidayers to visit Sri Lanka last month in more than eight months after the island nation put curbs on international travel due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Sri Lanka’s two international airports were closed in mid-March last year, as the country went into a lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The lockdown was gradually lifted by mid-May.
Initial plans were to open international flight by the end of August but the COVID-19 cases abroad rose and the plans were stalled.
The country was hit by a coronavirus second wave in October.
Earlier last month, Sri Lankan authorities said they would resume international flight operations from December 26.
However, the latest date for re-opening international travel was also deferred.
The Sri Lankan government has incentivised air travel in the months following the COVID-19-induced air travel break, offering zero parking fee and landing costs for international operators.
Sri Lanka had seen a major surge in COVID-19 infections since early October.
The number of deaths which stood at just 13 by October have now passed the 200 mark.
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Rajnath Singh Economies have suffered, we are trying to revive industries and service sectors
India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue is underway at Hyderabad House. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper are attending it.
Later the two visiting Secretaries will call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence. The US officials then will leave for Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia.
Pompeo and Esper arrived in New Delhi on Monday for 2+2 inter-ministerial talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
The visit also comes at a time when India and China are locked in a serious military stand-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.
We are happy that we’ve completed the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement), which will open new avenues in the information sharing. We are eager to discuss further issues with U.S.: Home Minister Rajnath Singh during India-U.S. 2+2 Ministerial dialogue
Over the last two decades, our bilateral relationship has grown steadily. At a time when it is particularly important to uphold the rules-based international order…together we can make a real difference when it comes to regional & global challenges: EAM S Jaishankar
Our economies have suffered losses. We’re trying to revive industries & services sectors. Our partnership becomes more important in view of current challenges we’re facing. We both believe in rule-based order & democracy: Home Minister Rajnath Singh during India-US 2+2 dialogue
Earlier, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at Hyderabad House.