NEW DELHI: Growing concerns over China and turmoil in Afghanistan dominated talks between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi on Wednesday, with both officials urging the Taliban and Kabul to resolve issues to create a country that is 鈥渁t peace with itself and its neighbors.鈥�

Jaishankar said in a joint press conference in New Delhi at the end of a two-hour meeting with his US counterpart: 鈥淲e spoke at length about regional concerns, multilateral institutions and global issues.鈥�

It is Blinken鈥檚 first visit to India after assuming charge as US President Joe Biden鈥檚 secretary of state.

鈥淩egarding Afghanistan, it is essential that peace negotiations are taken seriously by all parties,鈥� Jaishankar said, adding: 鈥淭he world wishes to see an independent, sovereign, democratic and stable Afghanistan at peace with itself and with its neighbors.鈥�

Blinken appreciated India鈥檚 contributions to Kabul鈥檚 development and talked about working together to stabilize the war-ravaged country.

鈥淲e discussed regional security scenarios, including Afghanistan,鈥� Blinken said in his opening statement.

鈥淚ndia and the US share a common view on a peaceful, secured and stable Afghanistan. India has made and continues to make vital contributions to Afghanistan鈥檚 stability and development,鈥� he added.

New Delhi has spent billions on development projects in Afghanistan in recent years and is a firm backer of the Kabul government.

However, the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan forced India to evacuate 50 staff from two consulates in the country as the Taliban gained even more territory amid a drawdown of US-led foreign forces.

In April, President Biden ordered the complete withdrawal of about 3,000 US troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, effectively ending the US鈥� longest war.

Earlier this month, Biden gave an updated timeline and said that the US military mission would end by Aug. 31.

Taliban fighters have swept across the country in recent weeks, with the Pentagon admitting on July 21 that half of all district centers 鈥� surrounding 17 of Afghanistan鈥檚 34 provincial capitals 鈥� were now in the hands of the Taliban.

Blinken said that he disapproved of the Taliban鈥檚 鈥渕ilitary adventure鈥� as it 鈥渄oes not serve the objective of peace鈥� in Afghanistan.

鈥淭aking over the country by force and abusing the rights of the people is not the path to achieve those objectives. There is only one path, and that is at the negotiation table to resolve the conflict peacefully,鈥� the US official said.

He emphasized that the Taliban鈥檚 military advances were 鈥渢roubling鈥� and that Washington remains engaged in Afghanistan.

鈥淭he Taliban is making advances in district centers; there are reports of them committing atrocities in Afghanistan. It鈥檚 deeply troubling. It certainly doesn鈥檛 speak well about their intentions for the country. We remain engaged in Afghanistan,鈥� he added.

India鈥檚 human rights issues was also brought up in discussions, with Blinken holding talks with civil society leaders in Delhi ahead of his meeting with Jaishankar.

鈥淪hared values 鈥� freedom and equality 鈥� are key, and none of us have done enough. We need to strengthen our democratic institutions. This is at the core of our relationship, beyond strategic and economic ties,鈥� Blinken said.

Since being elected to office in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government have faced allegations of suppressing dissent, pursuing divisive policies to appeal to Hindu voters and enacting the Citizenship Amendment Law two years ago, which Muslims argue is discriminatory.

Debate over India鈥檚 human rights record became even more pronounced following the death in custody of 87-year-old Jesuit priest Stan Swamy, who was arrested on charges of supporting ultra-Maoists while awaiting bail.

鈥淥ne of the elements Americans admire most is a fundamental freedom and human rights. That鈥檚 how we define India. India鈥檚 democracy is powered by free-thinking citizens,鈥� Blinken said.

The US secretary of state also met a Tibetan delegation in Delhi and ended his short visit to the capital by meeting with Modi.

Both sides also discussed the upcoming meeting in September of the Quad group of countries comprising India, Japan, Australia and the US. The Quad will hold the summit in Washington, which Modi is expected to attend.

Blinken, however, denied that the Quad had been created to counter China鈥檚 interests in the Indo-Pacific region following Beijing鈥檚 accusations that the 鈥淎sian NATO鈥� group was designed to harm China.

The US has long viewed India as a key partner in efforts to overpower China鈥檚 economic and military might in the Indo-Pacific region, but Blinken rejected the view that the Quad was a 鈥渕ilitary alliance.鈥�

He said: 鈥淲hat is Quad? It鈥檚 quite simple but important. Its purpose is to advance cooperation on regional challenges while reinforcing international rules and values that we believe together underpin peace, prosperity, and stability in the region.

鈥淲e share a vision 鈥� India and the US 鈥� of a free, open and secure atmosphere in the Indo-Pacific and will work together to make that a reality,鈥� he added.

Foreign policy experts see Blinken鈥檚 visit as a 鈥渟ign of maturity鈥� in India-US ties.

鈥淭he press conference was indicative of how the US-India relationship has matured,鈥� Pranay Kotasthane, deputy director of the Takshashila Institution based in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru, told Arab News.

鈥淭here was no mention of our western neighbor, and the focus was on regional security, economic recovery and global issues such as climate change,鈥� he added, before noting the convergence between the two countries on the situation in Afghanistan.

鈥淥n Afghanistan, both countries seem to agree that a Taliban that forces itself on the people of Afghanistan will face the consequences in terms of international recognition and access, and both the countries feel the need for resolution through the intra-Afghan dialogue,鈥� Kotasthane said.