Situation in Afghanistan, terror safe havens in Pak to figure in talks

New Delhi, Jul 25 (PTI):
The implications of the withdrawal of American troops on the security situation in Afghanistan and the need for sustained pressure on Pakistan on terror financing and terrorist safe havens will be on the agenda of talks during US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s two-day visit to India from July 27, official sources said on Sunday.
In the discussions, India will press for gradual resumption of international travel while maintaining health protocols, and will particularly seek easing movements of students, professionals and business travellers among others, they said. India will continue to push for ensuring open and consistent supply chains for materials and items required for the production of coronavirus vaccines as it ramps up the manufacturing for domestic and global supplies thereafter, the sources said. During his two-day visit, Blinken is scheduled to meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and will call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The two sides are also expected to explore ways to deepen defence collaboration, including exercises, defence transfers and technologies ahead of the next edition of the 2+2 defence and foreign ministerial dialogue to be held in the US later this year, they said. Discussions on deepening engagement in the Indo-Pacific region under the Quad or Quadrilateral coalition will be another key focus area of talks with the possibility of a meeting of foreign ministers of India, the US, Australia, Japan later this year.
The sources said both sides will discuss ways to take forward the Quad vaccine initiative to enable the supply of vaccines produced in India to countries in the Indo-Pacific region from early 2022. The fast-evolving situation in Afghanistan is likely to be one of the main areas of discussions between Blinken and Indian leaders as his visit comes amid a massive spike in violence in that country, triggering increasing global concerns.
“On the regional security situation, implications of the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan and the need for sustained pressure on Pakistan on terror financing and terror havens will be part of the agenda,” said a source. Afghanistan witnessed a series of terror attacks in the last few weeks as the US withdrew the majority of its troops and is looking at completing the drawdown by August 31, ending nearly two-decade of its military presence in the country.