Foreign Secretary To Discuss Afghanistan, Quad With US Officials In Washington

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla arrived in Washington on Wednesday to hold meetings with senior officials from President Joe Biden’s administration.

Mr Shringla is among the few foreign officials to be in town and the highest Indian official to meet top officials of the Biden administration after the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan that brought the curtains down on the 20-year-old war.

“We will update you with any meetings, any updates to the schedule, and we’ll provide those as we’re able,” State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters when asked about the meetings of the visiting Indian diplomat.

Harsh Vardhan Shringla arrived in Washington DC from New York, after presiding over a crucial meeting of the UN Security Council on Afghanistan. India was the president of the 15-member powerful wing of the UN for August.

No other details about his meetings in the American capital were immediately available. However, Afghanistan and the upcoming Quad summit are likely to be on the top of the talks between Indian and US officials. The Quad consists of four countries comprising Australia, India, Japan and the US.

President Biden has given top priority to the Quad and has announced an in-person Quad summit this fall.