US sees India as vital partner in fight against climate crisis, says John Kerry

The United States sees India as its vital partner in the fight against the climate crisis, said US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry on Wednesday.

US Presidential Envoy on Climate Kerry is on a four-day visit to India. His visit will focus on consultations on increasing climate ambitions ahead of US President Joe Biden's Leaders Summit on Climate.

In a tweet, Kerry thanked Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for "good" discussions on the climate crisis.

"Busy day in New Delhi. Thanks to @PrakashJavdekar and @DrSJaishankar for the good discussions -- India is a vital partner in our fight against the climate crisis. We must raise ambition together, or we will fail together," he said.

Biden has invited 40 world leaders, including Prime Minister Modi, for a virtual leaders' summit on climate scheduled later this month.

Kerry on Tuesday had said that India's global leadership has been critical across a range of issues, including delivering COVID-19 vaccines to the world."India's global leadership has been critical across a range of issues including delivering COVID-19 vaccines to the world. I am particularly grateful that India is getting the job done on climate. You are indisputably a world leader already in the deployment of renewable energy," he had said.

Kerry is the second top official of the Biden Administration visiting India. In March, US Defence secretary Lloyd Austin visited New Delhi.

( With inputs from ANI )