International Desk: Dhaka, Jul-27,

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is arriving in India on Tuesday on a two-day visit, his first trip to the subcontinent after assuming office earlier this year.

"Wheels up for my trip to New Delhi and Kuwait City. I look forward to consultations with our partners to further cooperation in support of our shared interests in the Indo-Pacific and Middle East," Secretary Blinken tweeted moments before boarding a flight from Washington DC.

During his two-day visit, Secretary Blinken is slated to hold talks with Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. He will also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday before departing for Kuwait, according to External Affairs Ministry.

On the agenda of the talks between the two sides are the situation in Afghanistan, counter-China efforts, Quad vaccine diplomacy and climate change, UNB has learnt.

New Delhi is particularly worried about the implications of the American troops leaving Afghanistan, given the fact that it has so far infused over three billion US dollars worth development aid into that country and the horrific memories of the Taliban's role in the hijacking of an Indian airliner in 1999.

"Secretary Blinken's visit is an opportunity to continue the high-level bilateral dialogue and bolster the India-US global strategic partnership," the Ministry of External Affairs said last week while announcing the visit.

"Both sides will review the robust and multifaceted India-US bilateral relations, and potential for consolidating them further," the Ministry added.

In March, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin visited India. Apart from holding talks with several senior Indian Ministers and officials, he had called on PM Modi. A month later, US Special Envoy on Climate Change John Kerry came to New Delhi.