India, US, Australia, Japan call for coordinated response to challenges like economic issues due to COVID-19 pandemic

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday participated in the second India-Australia-Japan-US ministerial meeting in Tokyo where the foreign ministers called for a coordinated response to the challenges including financial problems emanating from the pandemic; need to share best practices to combat Covid-19; increasing the resilience of supply chains; and enhancing access to affordable vaccines, medicines, and medical equipment.

According to an official statement issued by the ministry of external Affairs, during Tuesday's meeting the Foreign Ministers followed up on their discussions in September 2019 and discussed the post-Covid-19 international order.

"They called for a coordinated response to the challenges including financial problems emanating from the pandemic; need to share best practices to combat COVID-19; increasing the resilience of supply chains; and enhancing access to affordable vaccines, medicines and medical equipment," the foreign ministry statement said.

The MEA further said that the foreign ministers exchanged views about regional issues of mutual interest, and issues related to connectivity; humtarian assistance and disaster relief; maritime safety and security; health security, and counterterrorism.

"They reaffirmed their collective vision of maintaining a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. They reiterated their firm support to ASEAN centrality and highlighted their readiness to work towards realising a common vision for the Indo-Pacific. Appreciating the value of these consultations, they agreed to hold them regularly," the ministry said.

The external affairs minister also had bilateral meetings with US Secretary Michael Pompeo. He will be meeting Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.

"These meetings provided the respective Ministers an opportunity to review ongoing bilateral cooperation and discuss regional, global and other issues of mutual interest," the MEA added.

( With inputs from ANI )