Senior American diplomat Donald Lu to visit India, Bangladesh

A senior American diplomat is travelling to India and Bangladesh this week to reaffirm the US commitment to supporting the economic growth of its partners and promoting stability throughout the Indo-Pacific region, the US State Department said on Tuesday.

Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu will first stop in New Delhi, where he will highlight the US-India cooperation to promote development, security, and women's economic security at the India Ideas Summit, hosted by the US-India Business Council.

During the trip starting from September 10-16, Lu will also co-chair the eighth US-India 2 2 Intersessional Dialogue alongside US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Jedidiah P Royal and counterparts from the Ministry of External Affairs and Indian Ministry of Defence.

The dialogue will identify opportunities to enhance the US-India bilateral partnership, including defence cooperation, and expand US-India collaboration in the Indo-Pacific and beyond, the State Department said in a press release.

In Dhaka, Lu will join an interagency delegation for meetings with the Bangladeshi interim government. The delegation will include representatives from the US Department of the Treasury, USAID, and the Office of the US Trade Representative.

The US and Bangladeshi officials will discuss how the United States can support Bangladesh's economic growth, financial stability and development needs, said the State Department.