EAM S Jaishankar had a "warm and comprehensive meeting" with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres

India has underlined the importance of finding urgent and effective global vaccine solutions to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Discussing the Covid challenge during a meeting with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said it was critical to ramp up the vaccine supply chain to ensure greater production and fairer distribution.

In a series of Twitter posts listing the main points of discussion, EAM Jaishankar described it as a "warm and comprehensive meeting".

This was his first in-person meeting with the UN Secretary-General since India assumed a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council for a two-year term beginning January 1. Jaishankar is on a five-day visit to the US.

In addition to the challenges posed by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Jaishankar also discussed India's role at the UN Security Council (UNSC).

"Highlighted India's constructive role in UNSC and conveyed priorities of our Presidency in August. Maritime Security and Technology for Peacekeeping address the needs of the day.

Welcomed SG's appreciation of India's Peacekeeping operations including at Goma, DRC recently," the Indian External Affairs Minister said on Twitter.

He added that they deliberated on regional challenges in India's neighbourhood.

"Shared our concerns about ensuring that the gains of the last two decades in Afghanistan are adequately protected," Jaishankar said in his Twitter post. He added that "countering terrorism and radicalisation" remain priorities for the entire region.

The recent developments in Myanmar too came up for discussion.

Noting that India valued the UN SG's leadership, especially in these challenging times, Jaishankar conveyed support for his candidature for a second term.