The heads of the United States and India have held a virtual meeting to discuss global developments, including Russia's war against neighboring Ukraine, a border dispute with China and political upheaval in Pakistan. U.S. President
Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi spoke via video link on Monday, with Biden accompanied by Secretary of State
Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary
Lloyd Austin and national security adviser
Jake Sullivan from his cabinet, as well as Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, among others.
The wide-ranging discussion was said to have touched upon joint efforts against COVID-19, growing defense and technological cooperation, as well as "a whole range of issues related to Russia and Ukraine" as the conflict launched on February 24 by Russian President
Vladimir Putin rages on.
Upon the talks' conclusion, a senior Biden administration official referred to Washington's partnership with New Delhi as "one of our most important relationships" and described a "long, very candid conversation to discuss a range of bilateral and global issues" between the two men.
