Discussed India-China border clash with Jaishankar, we speak ‘frequently’: Pompeo

Washington, July 15: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday that the US and India have been discussing the ongoing border tensions with China.

Addressing a media briefing, Pompeo said he spoke frequently with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar, while lauding India's move to ban 59 Chinese apps.

"India has been a great partner. They are an important partner of ours. I have a great relationship with my foreign minister counterpart. We talk frequently about a broad range of issues. We talked about the conflict they had along their border with China," Pompeo said in Washington.

"You saw their (India) decision to ban many Chinese software firms from operating software on mobile phones in their country," he added.

Indo-China standoff: Why phase-II of deescalation will be a tricky affair

"The whole world is coalescing around the challenge that we face". "Democracies, free nations of the world, will push back on these challenges together. I'm very confident of that," he further said.

The Indian and Chinese armies were locked in a bitter standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh since May 5. The tension escalated after the violent clashes in Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed.