5th India-US 2+2 ministerial dialogue in Delhi on Friday
The fifth India-US 2+2 ministerial dialogue is set to take place in New Delhi on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced. United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will visit India for talks with their Indian counterparts, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. This significant event will focus on key aspects of the bilateral relationship, such as defense and security cooperation, technological partnerships, and people-to-people connections.
Why does this story matter?
The 2+2 ministerial dialogue is reportedly the highest level of institutional mechanism between India and the US. India holds 2+2 ministerial dialogue with its key strategic partners—Australia, Japan, Russia, and the US—all of which are India's partners in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad, except Russia. The fourth round of bilateral dialogue was held in Washington DC, where India and the US agreed to launch an inaugural Defense Artificial Intelligence Dialogue and consult on the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
Here's the official announcement
Dialogue to focus on regional cooperation and common goals
The dialogue's goal is to advance the strategic roadmap for the India-US partnership, in line with the vision established by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden, the ministry's press statement said. Besides the bilateral aspects, the fifth India-US 2+2 ministerial dialogue is expected to see both countries examine current regional issues, especially in the Indo-Pacific. The leaders will share perspectives on common priorities and the potential for increased collaboration in multilateral settings through frameworks such as Quad.
US may reiterate calls for India's cooperation with Canadian probe
"The US may reiterate its call for India's cooperation with the Canadian probe, stressing the importance of adhering to international conventions," said Farwa Aamer, Director of South Asia Initiatives, Asia Society Policy Institute. The comments pertain to the strained relationship between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Vancouver, British Columbia. Ottawa has accused India of being involved in Nijjar's killing, while the latter has denied it and asked Canada to produce evidence.
