A day after arriving in India for a two-day visit, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on July 28 said actions by India & the US shape the 21st century & beyond. He attributed this to the reason why strengthening partnership with New Delhi is one of Washington’s top foreign policy priorities. After holding extensive talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Blinken said India and the US are two of the world's leading democracies where “diversity fuels our national strength”. He further pointed out that there are few relationships in the world that are more vital than one between the US and India. Blinken held wide-ranging talks with Jaishankar covering an agenda that included the rapidly evolving security situation in Afghanistan, ways to boost Indo-Pacific engagement & enhancing Covid-19 response efforts among others. Following the meeting, Jaishankar said talks with Blinken took place at an important juncture when key global, regional challenges need to be effectively addressed. On the fast-evolving situation in Afghanistan, Blinken said India and the US share a strong interest in a peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan adding that both the nations are committed to the proposition that there is no military solution to the conflict in the region. Earlier in the day, Blinken held talks with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on a range of bilateral and regional issues with a focus on taking the relationship to the “next level”. Before leaving for Kuwait, Blinken met PM Modi.