US-India partnership to focus on tackling Covid-19, climate crisis as EAM Jaishankar meets US Secy

ANI report. This development comes in the wake of Blinken and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar participating in a conversation with students, faculty, and leadership of Howard University.

While speaking at the Howard University for India-US Education Collaboration on Tuesday (local time), Blinken said the University has played an important role in building bonds between India and the US.

Highlighting the "deeper academic" ties between the United States and India, Blinken further said that the partnership is absolutely crucial and pertinent for addressing the problems of the 21st century. "US-India strategic partnership, I'm convinced, is absolutely crucial, essential for addressing the problems of the 21st century and your work is at the heart of that relationship," he said. "I believe firmly that the United States and India need continued collaboration, hard work, and leadership for the biggest challenges both countries face, whether it's combating Covid, whether it's building a more inclusive global economy, whether it's tackling the climate crisis," he said. "We are incredibly fortunate that the US has 200,000 Indian students studying in our universities enriching our campuses and fellow citizens and we see many American students studying and working in India through programs like Fulbright or the Gilman fellowships," Blinken said.

Emphasizing the importance of India-US ties in expanding the partnership, the Secretary of State said a working group has been formed for the people of both the countries to facilitate learning. "To make it easier for people -- a working group on education and skill training on the academic institution in the US and India together will develop a new joint research programme,"