Fifth 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue between India and the US to Highlight Defense and Security Cooperation: MEA

The sixth India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue is slated to take place in New Delhi on November 10 and will focus primarily on defense and security cooperation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday. The US counterparts, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, will be received by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Friday for the highly anticipated yearly negotiations in the nation’s capital.

The MEA said in a statement that “the 2+2 will enable a high-level review of progress being made in cross-cutting aspects of defense and security cooperation, technology value chain collaborations, and people-to-people ties.” “During their talks in June and September of this year, the Ministers will seize the chance to advance the visionary roadmap for the India-US partnership as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden,” the statement said.

According to the MEA, both parties will also assess current regional concerns and offer ideas regarding goals for enhancing cooperation in multilateral forums and via frameworks like Quad. According to the ministry, the Ministers of Defense and External Affairs will also meet bilaterally with their respective counterparts in the United States. This will continue the Ministerial Dialogue and reinforce the Comprehensive Global Strategic cooperation between the United States and India.

“STRATEGY FOR REITERATING COMMITMENT”

Earlier this month, the US State Department announced that Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin of Defense will be visiting New Delhi for the two-plus-two ministerial. According to an expert, the 2+2 ministerial discussion would provide a forum for restating the two nations’ steadfast dedication to their international relationship and their common goal of a free and open Indo-Pacific. “Against the backdrop of a dynamic and ever-changing global environment, the conversation holds the potential to strengthen the strong alliance between the two countries, especially in the defense sector,” said Farwa Aamer, Director of South Asia Initiatives at the Asia Society Policy Institute.

“Top officials from both countries will convene in India this week for the fifth US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, which holds the potential to strengthen a strong partnership that has made significant strides, especially in the area of defense cooperation,” the spokesperson said. According to Aamer, “the dialogue will serve as a platform for reaffirming the United States and India’s unwavering commitment to their global partnership and their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.”