Foreign Secretary Gokhale to discuss regional, global issues with Pompeo
What's the story
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale today, during which the two officials are likely to discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of common interest.
His meeting with Pompeo will be held at 6:30 pm IST today.
Gokhale arrived in the US yesterday in connection with the bilateral Foreign Office Consultation and Strategic Security Dialogue with his American counterparts.
Details
Gokhale's meeting with Pompeo expected to gain media spotlight
Gokhale will hold Strategic Security Dialogue with his American counterparts, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale and Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Andrea Thompson.
While his US trip was scheduled much before the February 14 Pulwama terrorist attack, Gokhale's meeting with Pompeo and his counterparts in Washington this week is expected to gain media spotlight.
Meeting
Tensions between India-Pak escalated after the Pulwama terror attack
The meeting will grab attention in view of the escalated tension between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the air strike at a terrorist camp deep inside Pakistan and subsequent developments.
Tensions between India and Pakistan flared up after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel in Kashmir's Pulwama district.
Air strike
Pak handed over captured IAF pilot on March 1
India launched a counter-terror operation in Balakot on February 26.
The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 and captured its pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, who was handed over to India on March 1.
State Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino, during his bi-weekly news conference last Tuesday, said Pompeo played an "essential role" in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.
Statement
Pompeo played an essential role in de-escalating India-Pak tensions: Palladino
"Secretary Pompeo led diplomatic engagement directly, and that played an essential role in de-escalating the tensions between the two sides," Palladino had then said.
According to Pompeo's schedule for Monday released to the media, the State Department said the meeting between the US Secretary of State and Gokhale is scheduled at about 9 am local time (6.30 pm IST) at the Department of State.
Dialogues
Protocol-wise, it is quite unusual for Pompeo to meet Gokhale
Protocol-wise, it is quite unusual for Pompeo to meet Gokhale, but over the last few years, the US Secretary of State has met the Foreign Secretary, including his predecessor S Jaishankar.
These are regular high-level dialogue mechanisms to review bilateral relations, exchange views on major foreign policy and security-related developments and coordinate respective positions on issues of common interest, according to an Indian official.