New Delhi: Both India and the United States have to be on guard and keep a close watch on Pakistan's actions vis-à-vis its support to terrorism and terror groups, Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla said and asserted that "we have to watch Pakistan’s actions with a fine-tooth comb."
Interacting with a group of Indian journalists at the end of his three-day official visit to Washington, Shringla also said “Our engagement with them (the Taliban) has been limited. It's not that we have (had) a robust conversation. But for whatever conversation we've had so far, they've been sort of….. the Taliban seem to indicate that they will be reasonable in the way they handle this."
On Thursday (September 2), he had called on the Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
“They (US) will obviously see how different players get engaged in the situation in Afghanistan. Pakistan is a neighbour of Afghanistan. They have supported and nurtured the Taliban. There are various elements there that Pakistan supported,” he said.
On the meeting between India’s Ambassador in Qatar, Deepak Mittal, and a Taliban leader in Doha, he said: “In our statement, we have said that we have told them that we want them to be cognisant of the fact that there should be no terrorism that emanates from their territory directed against us or other countries."
He said Taliban leadership has been told that – "we want them to be mindful of the status of women, minorities and so on. And, and I think they have, also, you know, made reassurance from their side."
Among others, Shringla also met Secretary of Defence, Colin Kahl, and discussed ways to advance India- United States strategic and defence partnerships.
They also exchanged views on regional issues – Afghanistan, Indo-Pacific and agreed to coordinate on shared priorities.
Sources said the Foreign Secretary also interacted with strategic experts from prominent US think tanks on regional and global issues and different facets of the India-US strategic partnership.
