India and US to hold 2 plus 2 dialogue in Washington

New Delhi: The fourth India-US 2 plus 2 Ministerial Dialogue will get underway in Washington on Monday.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation. The US delegation will be led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.

The dialogue would enable both sides to undertake a comprehensive review of cross-cutting issues in the India-US bilateral agenda related to foreign policy, defense, and security, with the objective of providing strategic guidance and a vision for further consolidating the relationship.

The 2 plus 2 Dialogue mechanism will also provide an opportunity to exchange views about important regional and global developments

External Affairs Minister Dr. Jaishankar will also meet his US counterpart Secretary Blinken separately. He is scheduled to meet senior members of the US administration to further advance the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.

AIR correspondent report that this year’s 2 plus 2 Ministerial Dialogue will celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations and reaffirm the importance of India-US Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership in ensuring international peace and security.

It will reaffirm the shared commitment to a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. The inaugural India-US Ministerial 2 plus 2 Dialogue was held in September 2018 in New Delhi.

The then US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Secretary of Defense James Mattis visited India for a dialogue with the then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Three rounds of the Dialogue have been held so far. India and US enjoy a comprehensive global strategic partnership covering almost all areas, driven by shared democratic values, the convergence of interests, and vibrant people-to-people contact.