Examining the new and expanded areas of cooperation between two countries, India and the United States have underscored the importance of ongoing collaboration in science and technology and public health during their meeting of the Global Issues Forum.
The fifth meeting of the Forum, held at the State Department, was attended by visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Paula J Dobriansky.
The India-US Global Issues Forum, which convenes annually and alternates between New Delhi and Washington, was initiated in New Delhi in October 2002.
The two delegations, according to official sources, are said to have exchanged views in an 'extremely friendly and cooperative environment.'
"The two delegations engaged in productive discussions on working together to address global challenges. They examined new and expanded areas for India-US cooperation," sources said.
"The issues that came up for discussion included those related to the promotion of democratic values and human rights, protection of the vulnerable, environmental conservation and sustainable development," a joint statement issued at the end of the meeting said."The deliberations explored increased coordination of efforts, including through multilateral organizations, to strengthen democratic principles and institutions worldwide. The delegations also discussed continued and new cooperation on protecting the global environment, and underscored the importance of ongoing collaboration in science and technology and public health," it added.
