India-Australia ministerial 2+2 at the earliest: Rajnath

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 1

India and Australia are looking to conduct their first-ever ministerial-level 2+2 dialogue “at the earliest opportunity”.

This shall involve the Defence and Foreign Ministers of both the countries, India has such ministerial-level dialogue with the US and Japan.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted on Tuesday morning saying he spoke to Australian Minister for Defence, Peter Dutton about the measures taken by both the countries to fight against the covid -19 pandemic.

Spoke to Australian Minister for Defence, Mr Peter Dutton about the measures taken by both the countries to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

India and Australia share a warm and people to people contact underpinned by a strategic partnership.

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 1, 2021

India remains fully committed to the implementation of a comprehensive strategic partnership with Australia. Both sides look forward to convening the Ministerial 2+2 Dialogue at the earliest opportunity.

Last June, India and Australia had announced to upgrade their `2+2′ dialogue from the level of secretaries to that of ministers. Foreign and defence ministers of the two countries were scheduled to meet in the format at least every two years to pursue the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The decision was taken during the first virtual meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison.

India and Australia have so far conducted three 2+2′ Foreign Secretaries and Defence Secretaries Dialogues. The first such dialogue between New Delhi and Canberra was held in 2017.