The upcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington is anticipated to be a pivotal moment in the relationship between the United States and India, according to statements made by US President Joe Biden’s national security adviser. While downplaying the prospects of a diplomatic breakthrough with China during US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s upcoming visit, Jake Sullivan emphasized the significance of Modi’s trip.
Speaking at a briefing in Tokyo, Sullivan stated that Secretary Blinken’s visit to China would undoubtedly be a noteworthy event but not the most consequential one for US foreign policy in the coming week. Blinken is scheduled to travel to Beijing on June 18 and 19, just before Modi’s arrival in Washington on Thursday.
Biden has made it a priority to strengthen ties with India as part of his strategy to counter China’s growing influence. The US administration also aims to persuade India, which maintains certain security and economic connections with Russia, to purchase military drones from the United States.
Regarding Blinken’s objectives in China, Sullivan highlighted the importance of managing escalation to prevent any potential conflict between the world’s two largest military powers. He emphasized the necessity of robust diplomacy in the face of vigorous competition.
The visit to Beijing by Blinken will mark the first time a high-ranking US official has traveled there since Biden assumed office in January 2021. It follows a previous postponement in February due to a suspected Chinese spy balloon entering US airspace.
During his time in Japan, Sullivan engaged in discussions on regional security with his counterparts from Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines. He met with South Korea’s Cho Tae-yong and Japan’s Takeo Akiba to address arrangements for an upcoming trilateral leaders meeting in the US in the coming months .
Sullivan commended the efforts of Tokyo and Seoul to improve their sometimes strained relations, particularly as tensions with China and North Korea continue to escalate. He emphasized that the progress in the bilateral relationship between Japan and the Republic of Korea has significantly contributed to strengthening the trilateral relationship among the three countries.
Following the meeting on Thursday, North Korea fired two short-range missiles off its east coast in response to military drills conducted earlier that day by South Korea and the US.
