Growing India-US bilateral cooperation must be seen in the backdrop of China’s rising military activity in the South China Sea and the Line of Actual Control

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke to his counterparts from five countries, including India, on the collective fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Business Standard, this was Pompeo’s second call to Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar in as many days and the two leaders shared assessments on regional and global issues, including covid-19 pandemic, Indo-Pacific and Quadrilateral coalition.

Business Standard report said other countries that Pompeo spoke to included Brazil, Australia, South Korea and Israel.

“They noted the importance of close cooperation to reopen our economies and counter disinformation, while also addressing the need for concerted efforts to prevent future pandemics," US State Department Spokesperson, Morgan Ortagus was quoted as saying.

Jaishankar and Pompeo have spoken very frequently over the phone during the covid-19 pandemic, at times on a weekly basis.

India and the US have enhanced their cooperation bilaterally and also with their key allies and partners like Australia, Brazil, Israel, Japan and S Korea on a host of issues including the collective efforts against coronavirus.

During the telephonic talks, Pompeo and Jaishankar also shared their assessments on regional and global issues including South Asia, Afghanistan, Indo-Pacific & beyond.