US under secretary for democracy and human rights Uzra Zeya on Monday met senior Indian officials, including foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra, and discussed cooperation to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific and regional stability.
Zeya, who is also the US special coordinator for Tibetan issues, began a visit to India on Sunday, with the focus on deepening the India-US partnership and finding shared solutions to global challenges.
“A pleasure to meet again with Foreign Secretary @AmbVMKwatra. Grateful for the vital #USIndia partnership & shared efforts to advance a free & open Indo-Pacific, regional stability, and civilian security,” Zeya said in a post on Twitter after her meeting with the foreign secretary.
She also tweeted about a fruitful conversation with Sanjay Verma, secretary (West) in the external affairs ministry. “Thanks for your continued partnership addressing global & regional challenges. U.S.-India cooperation is essential to our most vital priorities & a more peaceful and prosperous world,” she said.
There were no official readouts from both sides on the meetings. Shortly after her arrival in New Delhi, Zeya and senior US officials met a delegation led by the Dalai Lama.
Zeya also tweeted about a meeting with the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility Council of the US embassy aimed at “leading on efforts to build a more inclusive @StateDept that fully represents us”.
Zeya was joined for most of her meetings by Donald Lu, assistant secretary for South and Central Asian affairs and US ambassador Eric Garcetti.
Ahead of her arrival in New Delhi, Zeya said her visit was aimed at taking forward shared solutions to global challenges, contributing to a more free, open and secure Indo-Pacific, and bolstering humanitarian support for refugees across the region. Besides India, Zeya will travel to Bangladesh during the visit that concludes on July 14.
In Bangladesh, Zeya will meet senior officials to discuss shared humanitarian concerns, including the Rohingya refugee crisis, free and fair elections, labour issues, human rights, and combating human trafficking, the US state department said.
She will also engage with civil society organisations in both countries on freedom of expression and association, and inclusion of women and girls, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable groups, including marginalised religious and ethnic minorities, the department added.
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