US top diplomat to visit India, Kuwait next week

WASHINGTON

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit India and Kuwait next week in a trip the State Department said on Friday is aimed at "strengthening" the Biden administration's partnerships.

Blinken will depart Washington on Monday for India, and will meet with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 28.

During the meetings in New Delhi, Blinken will "discuss a wide range of issues including continued cooperation on COVID-19 response efforts, Indo-Pacific engagement, shared regional security interests, shared democratic values, and addressing the climate crisis," spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

Following the meetings, he will depart for Kuwait City on July 28 to meet with Kuwaiti officials for "discussions of key bilateral issues that underscore the importance of our 60 years of diplomatic ties," added Price.

He will return to Washington on July 29.