US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday met to discuss the bilateral commercial relationship, according to news agency PTI report.
During the meeting, Gina Raimondo expressed interest in continued engagement with India as the United States moves toward the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, as per the Department of Commerce media release.
"She also shared updates on the US-India CEO Forum, which is an important mechanism for the United States and India to deepen commercial ties and reduce barriers to trade," it said.
Meanwhile, there was an interaction session with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and India's External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar held at Howard University for the India-US Education Collaboration. Blinken and External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar interacted with Indian students, scholars, and researchers who have worked in the United States, and US students, scholars, and researchers who have studied, worked, or conducted research at higher education institutions in India.
This comes a day after India-US announced the intent to establish a new Education and Skills Development Working Group, a Washington-based expert said that higher education cooperation between the two countries will help deliver the real promise of a diplomatic relationship.
"Great today to be at Howard University to have a meeting with the Secretary of State and India's External Affairs Minister to talk about the real promise of US-India higher education cooperation," Richard Rossow, Wadhwani Chair in US-India Policy Studies at Center for Strategic and International Studies, told ANI.
Highlighting the "deeper academic" ties between the United States and India, Blinken said that the partnership is absolutely crucial and pertinent for addressing the problems of the 21st century. He said that at least 200,000 Indian students are studying in US universities.
(With inputs from agencies)
