Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived on a tour of India Tuesday. According to the US State Department, he will meet with senior Indian leaders to discuss further strengthening of India-US strategic partnership and collaboration on security in the Asia-Pacific region. [caption id=“attachment_4173243” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] US secretary of state Rex Tillerson arrives in India. PTI[/caption] His visit will also advance the agenda laid out by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during
Modi’s visit to the White House in June 2017. Tillerson’s first meeting is with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in New Delhi at 10 am after which he will pay tribute at Gandhi Smriti Museum. At 12 am, Tillerson is scheduled to meet Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj with whom he will have a working luncheon. Both leaders will then participate in a joint press conference in the national capital. At 1.30 pm, the US secretary of state will meet business executives and then will proceed to meet the staff and families of the US Embassy in New Delhi. Tillerson will round up his visit with a 4.30 pm meeting with Modi. Ahead of his meeting,
Tillerson had said that America’s relationship with India is of strategic importance which is not limited to South Asia. He further added that the Trump administration was of the view that India can play a positive role in creating a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. “I think, our view of the relationship with India is one that’s of strategic importance not just for this specific region, but also about a free and open Asia-Pacific region stretching all the way from Japan to India,” Tillerson had told reporters at the Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan on his arrival for his maiden visit to South Asia. Tillerson asks Pakistan it to rein in terrorism On Tuesday, Tillerson had bluntly told Pakistan’s top leadership that it must increase efforts to eradicate terrorists operating within the country. Tillerson had arrived in Islamabad on a whirlwind visit to reset bilateral ties strained after
President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of providing safe havens to terrorist groups. During his meeting with Pakistan prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Tillerson had discussed the bilateral cooperation and partnership, expanding economic ties between the US and Pakistan, and Pakistan’s critical role in the region. The US embassy had said that the US secretary of state reiterated Trump’s message that “Pakistan must increase its efforts to eradicate militants and terrorists operating within the country.” He had also outlined the United States’ new South Asia Strategy and the vital role that Pakistan can play in working with the United States and others to facilitate a peace process in Afghanistan that can bring stability and security to the region, the US embassy statement said. With inputs from PTI
Rex Tillerson in India highlights: Sushma Swaraj names and shames Pakistan; raises H1B issue with Trump administration
Rex Tillerson arrived on a tour of India Tuesday. According to the US State Department, he will meet with Indian leaders to discuss further strengthening of India-US ties
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We want to work with Pakistan in a positive way as we think this is in their interest in longer term: Rex Tillerson,US Secy of State
— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2017
Had a very open frank exchange with Pakistan leaders in Islamabad yesterday, conveyed to Pak the expectations we have: Rex Tillerson pic.twitter.com/gfPhWz5Y34
— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2017
Tillerson on Pakistan supporting terrorism
Asked about Pakistan’s harbouring of terrorists and its support of terrorism, Tillerson says, “In my discussions in Islamabad, we were frank to conclude that there are too many terrorist outfits that find a safe haven in Pakistan. We are putting in place a mechanism to deny these outfits the ability to launch attacks on other countries.”
Told Secy Tillerson that some of your friendly nations must have an embassy there in North Korea for any possible communication: EAM Swaraj
— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2017
Our trade with North Korea has reduced a lot and our embassy there is very small: EAM Sushma Swaraj
— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2017
Terrorist safe havens will not be tolerated: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson
— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2017
India is crucial to USA-Afghanistan strategy, back India as a leader in the region: US Secy of State Rex Tillerson
— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2017
We also discussed the important contribution of Indians working in the USA on H1B visa: EAM Swaraj after meeting with Rex Tillerson
— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2017
WATCH: Press Interaction: Visit of Secretary of State of the United States of America to India
India, United States and Afghanistan to have a tri-lateral meet in December, MEA Swaraj says
India, USA, Afghanistan trilateral meeting to be held in December: EAM Swaraj
— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2017
WATCH: Sushma Swaraj, Rex Tillerson issue joint statement
#WATCH Live: US Secy of State Rex Tillerson & EAM Sushma Swaraj issue joint press statements in Delhi. https://t.co/yW9xsgh26a
— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2017
“India-US relations have deepened after Narendra Modi’s United States visit,” says Sushma Swaraj at joint press conference in New Delhi
Happy to inform that our defence and strategic relations have deepened after PM's US visit: EAM Swaraj pic.twitter.com/hzT3eiCXuF
— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2017
“Discussed bilateral, regional and global issues”
The Ministry of External Affairs tweeted on Wednesday to say that the meeting between Sushma Swaraj and Rex Tillerson touched on bilateral, regional and global issues “to further strengthen bons of friendship.”
EAM @SushmaSwaraj and US Secretary of State Tillerson discussed bilateral, regional &global issues to further strengthen bonds of friendship pic.twitter.com/aQ4Uw1X1QL
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) October 25, 2017
‘We have to continue to fight the Taliban’
“Clearly we have to continue to fight against the Taliban, against others, in order for them to understand they will never win a military victory,” Tillerson told reporters after the meeting that was also attended by Afghan chief executive Abdullah Abdullah.
It was Tillerson’s first trip to Afghanistan as secretary of state and comes several weeks after US defence secretary Jim Mattis also paid an unannounced visit.
The closed-door talks covered Ashraf Ghani’s reform programme, his anti-corruption strategy and preparations for parliamentary elections due to take place next year.
Tillerson’s Afghanistan visit
On Monday, prior to his visit to Islamabad, Tillerson paid a surprise visit to Afghanistan to discuss Washington’s new strategy with President Ashraf Ghani.
Tillerson reiterated the US commitment to working with the Kabul government and regional partners “to achieve peace in Afghanistan and deny safe havens to terrorists who threaten that goal”, said a US embassy statement
Tillerson to hold joint press conference soon
Tillerson’s meeting with Sushma Swaraj comes after a meet with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in New Delhi on Wednesday morning.
Before @SushmaSwaraj & Rex Tillerson's (@StateDept) joint presser in New Delhi. pic.twitter.com/3qxyzfDZhx
— Bhuvan Bagga 把奥文 (@Bhuvanbagga) October 25, 2017
Tillerson’s meeting with Abbasi
During his meeting with the Pakistan prime minister, Tillerson discussed the bilateral cooperation and partnership, expanding economic ties between the US and Pakistan, and Pakistan’s critical role in the region, according to reports.
The US embassy said that the US secretary of state reiterated Trump’s message that “Pakistan must increase its efforts to eradicate militants and terrorists operating within the country.”
Rex Tillerson with Pakistan prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday
In Islamabad, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with #Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Photos: https://t.co/8Teet7DDpE pic.twitter.com/IvCg8nw1ur
— Department of State (@StateDept) October 24, 2017
Tillerson’s India visit comes after his day-long tour of Pakistan
On Tuesday, Tillerson had bluntly told Pakistan’s top leadership that it must increase efforts to eradicate terrorists operating within the country.
Tillerson had arrived in Islamabad on a whirlwind visit to reset bilateral ties strained after President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of providing safe havens to terrorist groups.
Delegation-level talks
On Wednesday, during delegation-level talks with Sushma Swaraj, Rex Tillerson is expected to advance the agenda laid out by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Modi’s visit to the White House in June 2017
#WATCH:US Secretary of State #RexTillerson meets EAM Sushma Swaraj in #Delhi pic.twitter.com/HU6P4EB3AZ
— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2017
Ministry of External Affairs tweets to welcome Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on his maiden tour of India
Strengthening strategic partnership. EAM @SushmaSwaraj welcomes US Secretary of State Tillerson, his first India visit as Secretary of State pic.twitter.com/0SQqyzC29g
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) October 25, 2017
Joint press conference expected in the afternoon
According to media reports, Tillerson and Swaraj will have a working luncheon on Wednesday. Both leaders will then participate in a joint press conference in the New Delhi.
At 12 pm, Tillerson met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in the capital
Delhi: US Secretary of State #RexTillerson meets EAM Sushma Swaraj pic.twitter.com/j1prQoBbpq
— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2017
Rex Tillerson pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi
Tillerson visited Gandhi Smriti in New Delhi on Wednesday morning to pay tribute to the father of the nation.
Delhi: US Secretary of State #RexTillerson pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Gandhi Smriti pic.twitter.com/aBE7Ok54MZ
— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2017


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