US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma to visit India, Maldives and Sri Lanka from Feb 18-23

Washington: Senior American diplomat Richard Verma will embark on a six-day official visit to India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives next week to strengthen the US' bilateral ties with the key Indo-Pacific partners and reaffirm its enduring commitment to a free, open, secure, and prosperous region.

Verma, the US' Indian-American Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, the



second senior post in the State Department, will travel to the three countries from February 18-23.

“Shortly following the two-year anniversary of the US Indo-Pacific Strategy, his trip will reaffirm the United States’ enduring commitment to a free, open, secure, and prosperous region,” a media release said on Friday.