S Jaishankar speaks to Blinken, thanks him for message on counter terrorism

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday held a telephonic conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and thanked him for his "strong and clear message" on counter-terrorism as well as his call for holding those responsible for the 26/11 Mumbai attacks accountable.

In a tweet, Jaishankar said the Ukraine conflict and other regional issues also figured in the meeting.

"Good to speak to US Secretary of State @SecBlinken. Thanked him for his strong and clear message yesterday on counter-terrorism and 26/11 accountability. Discussed the Ukraine conflict and other regional issues," Jaishankar tweeted.

Blinken, addressing an informal session of the UN Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) in Mumbai via video message on Friday, said allowing the architects of the Mumbai attacks to go unpunished will send wrong message.

"We have a responsibility to the victims and to people everywhere to bring to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks, including their masterminds," Blinken said.

"That is what the US has been working to do, together with India and other partners for the last 14 years because when we allow the architects of these attacks to go unpunished, we send a message to terrorists everywhere that their heinous crimes will be tolerated," he said.

The US Secretary of State said losses in the Mumbai attacks should be a reminder to "all of us of our unfinished work in holding accountable the perpetrators of its horrors and averting future terrorist attacks".

India hosted the meeting of the UN Security Council Counter Terrorism Committee in its capacity as its chair.

While the first day's meeting took place in Mumbai, the second day's deliberations were in Delhi.