India, US to review bilateral ties, key global issues at ‘2+2’ dialogue

PTI

New Delhi, November 8

India and the US will carry out a comprehensive review of their fast-expanding strategic ties at the next edition of the ‘2+2’ foreign and defence ministerial dialogue here on Friday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin are visiting India for the dialogue.

The Indian delegation will be led by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

“Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar will welcome US Secretary of State Antony J Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd J Austin III for the fifth India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi on November 10,” the External Affairs Ministry (MEA) said on Wednesday.

It said the ‘2+2’ dialogue will enable a high-level review of progress being made in cross-cutting aspects of defence and security cooperation, technology value chain collaborations and people-to-people ties.

“The ministers will take the opportunity to progress the futuristic roadmap for the India-US partnership as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joseph Biden, in their discussions in June and September this year,” the MEA said in a statement.

It said both sides will also take stock of contemporary regional issues and exchange views about shared priorities for augmenting cooperation in multilateral platforms, and through frameworks such as Quad.

Singh and Jaishankar are also scheduled to have bilateral meetings with their American counterparts, which will “mark a continuity of Ministerial Dialogue and reaffirm the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic partnership”, the MEA said.

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