Jaishankar Begins Three-Day Visit To US For Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will embark on a three-day visit to the US on Monday to participate in a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Quad grouping that will focus on new proposals to advance a common vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Jaishankar will visit the United States from June 30 to July 2 at the invitation of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Sunday.

The Quad foreign ministers' meeting on July 1 will build on the discussions held at an earlier meeting in Washington on Jan. 21, it said.

"They will exchange views on regional and global developments, particularly those concerning the Indo-Pacific, and review the progress made on various Quad initiatives in the run-up to the Quad leaders' summit, which will be hosted by India," the MEA said in a statement.

It said the ministers are also expected to deliberate on new proposals aimed at advancing a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The Quad, comprising India, the US, Australia and Japan, has emerged as a key grouping largely focussing on peace, security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Jaishankar will also inaugurate an exhibition, titled 'The Human Cost of Terrorism', at the United Nations headquarters in New York on June 30.

The exhibition will highlight the devastating toll of heinous terrorist acts around the world and the steps taken by the international community to combat terrorism, the MEA said.

The exhibition is seen as an effort to draw global support for India's campaign against cross-border terrorism from Pakistan.