India a leader and key US ally in Afghanistan, says Antony Blinken

Meets Dalai Lama's representative in New Delhi in a signal to China

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. 

The PM welcomed President Joe Biden’s commitment to strengthen the India-US strategic partnership. In the meeting, Modi conveyed his warm greetings to President Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris and his appreciation for the initiatives taken by President Biden including those related to the Quad, Covid-19 and climate change. It said Secretary Blinken appreciated the increasing convergence between India and US on a wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues, and the commitment of both strategic partners to convert this convergence into concrete and practical cooperation. Blinken briefed Modi