Foreign Secy Misri meets top US diplomats, discusses wide range of issues

Ahead of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's visit to the United States, India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday had meetings with top American diplomats on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues.

Jaishankar is scheduled to visit the United States from December 24-29, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced a day earlier.

During the visit, Jaishankar will meet his American counterparts to discuss key bilateral, regional and global issues, an official statement said.

On the eve of Jaishankar's visit, Misri on Monday had meetings with the Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Deputy Secretary for Management Richard Verma at Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department.

India's ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, was also present in the meetings.

We look forward to continuing to grow #USIndia ties rooted in mutual trust, shared values, and prosperity for all, Verma said.

Earlier in the day, Verma hosted a group of eminent India think-tank experts along with officials from the administration. Kwatra was also present at the roundtable held at Foggy Bottom headquarters.

It was to celebrate our progress on trade, defense, people-to-people ties, and commitment to tackling global challenges together, Verma said.

In a presentation on US-India Relations: By the Numbers, Verma said the two way trade between Indian and the US has increased from USD 20 billion in 2000 to USD 195 billion in 2023, while the defence trade has jumped from zero to USD 24 billion during the same period.

Two way trade is expected to cross the USD 200 billion mark in 2024, he added.

The number of Indian students in the US has increased from just 54,664 in 2000 to over 330,000 in 2023, while the population of Indian diaspora is now over five million from 1.9 million in 2000.

Verma said the Biden Harris administration appointed a record number of 130 Indian Americans to senior positions. India today is the top military exercise partner of the US, he noted, adding the US is the biggest source of remittances to India.

One fifth of the unicorns in the US have Indian migrants as founders or co-founders.

There are plans to open two Indian consulates in Los Angeles and Boston, while the US is planning to open two new consulates in Bangaluru and Ahmedabad, he said.