Wendy Sherman gives strong message to China from India

US DEPUTY secretary of state Wendy Sherman on Wednesday (6) recalled the rapport between Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and US president Joe Biden during their recent bilateral and Quad meetings in Washington and said that both India and the US can overcome any challenge and stressed on the comfortable relation the two nations enjoy.

Sherman, who arrived in India on Tuesday (5) for a three-day visit, said this during her talks with Indian foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla.

ALSO READ: US deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman visits India

A source familiar with the meeting told Asian News International that the American diplomat said during her interactions with Shringla the “kind of challenges that India US face together is very relevant and topical, she said asserting that there are no challenges our countries cannot overcome”.

Indian and American delegates led by Indian foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and US deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman meet in New Delhi on Wednesday, October 6, 2021. (ANI Photo)

India and the US also discussed on the occasion the Indo-Pacific and especially exchanged notes on China. Interestingly, the US and China are also holding high-level talks between them in Zurich, Switzerland.

Sherman discusses China with India

According to sources, many issues came up during Sherman’s talks with Shringla. “China did come up, India-US shared perspectives. She mentioned the US will compete, cooperate and challenge China. Sherman said we will compete as we need a level playing field, we will challenge China, we want rule-based order, India also informed the US about the border, the status of disengagement, EAM (external affairs minister) S Jaishankar engagement with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi,” source added.

The two sides also spoke over Afghanistan, Pakistan, defence cooperation, Covid-19 pandemic, climate and space cooperation.

India and the US are also set to witness a flurry of diplomatic activities in the coming weeks and months, sources told ANI.

India-US 2+2 dialogue next month

It was also learnt that the two countries will hold 2+2 dialogue next month while a meeting of the Defence Policy Group will be held soon.

India’s external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar shakes hand with US deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman in New Delhi on Wednesday, October 6, 2021. (ANI Photo)

Moreover, the sources also divulged that the 2+2 dialogue between India and the United States is expected to take place in November and the two countries will hold a meeting of the Defence Policy Group (DPG) soon.

They said Indian finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and defence secretary Ajay Kumar will be visiting the US for the dialogue. Besides, a counter-terrorism and designation dialogue between the two nations will also be held.

Speaking on China at the two-day India Ideas Summit that kicked off on Wednesday, Sherman said, “We will compete with China where we should, cooperate with China where it’s in our interests. We will challenge China where we must -- where it undermines interests of ours and our partners and allies or threatens rules-based international order. I think we (US) and India are like-minded in that regard.”

She also lauded the India-US relationship, saying, “The partnership between India and United States is rooted in our shared values. We are both homes to innovators and entrepreneurs. We are both believers in the free, open, interconnected and resilient Indo-Pacific region.”

India shares concerns over Pakistan with US

India also shared its concerns with the US about Pakistan’s involvement in sheltering anti-India terrorist groups in Afghanistan.

“India shared its concerns and perspective on Afghanistan, movement of terrorist groups especially Haqqani network, infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir, the role of Pakistan's spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence.

"What we heard from Americans on Afghanistan it's helpful. They have cleared eye what's happening in Pakistan, they are just engaging, India and US are on the same page," sources told ANI.

Sherman will be visiting Pakistan immediately after her India visit. While the US is often seen as hyphenating its relations when it comes to India and Pakistan, sources familiar with discussions held on Wednesday refused to agree.

“She is going to Pakistan from here, there is no hyphenation, the US is pretty clear they have a special relationship and partnership with India, this perspective is misplaced,” the they added.