External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar meets UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday held a comprehensive in-person meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and discussed the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and underlined the need for the importance of finding urgent and effective global vaccine solutions.

In his first face-to-face interaction with the UN chief since India entered the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member in January this year, Jaishankar also deliberated on regional challenges in India's neighbourhood and said that countering terrorism and radicalisation remain priorities for the entire region.

"A warm & comprehensive meeting with UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres. Discussed the Covid challenge, underlining the importance of finding urgent & effective global vaccine solutions. Critical to ramp up the vaccine supply chain to ensure greater production & fairer distribution,” Jaishankar tweeted after the meeting that lasted almost an hour.

The minister also exchanged views on climate action. "Greater resources are essential for larger ambitions. Financing will determine our seriousness and credibility,” he said in a series of tweets.

He also highlighted India's constructive role in UNSC and conveyed priorities of its Presidency in August.