The fifth edition of the India-U.S. 2+2 ministerial dialogue kicked off in New Delhi on Friday, featuring discussions between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, and their Indian counterparts, External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
In his opening statement at the Ministerial Dialogue, Singh highlighted the growing convergence of strategic interests and the deepening collaboration in defence, security, and intelligence between India and the U.S. He emphasized the critical role of the partnership in ensuring a free, open, and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region.
Echoing Singh’s sentiments, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken underscored the significance of the Indo-Pacific, expressing the joint commitment to promoting a free, open, prosperous, secure, and resilient region. He also mentioned strengthening the partnership through the QUAD with Japan and Australia.
External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar characterized the dialogue as an opportunity to advance the shared vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden. He emphasized the importance of building a forward-looking partnership while both nations construct a shared global agenda. Dr. Jaishankar elaborated that the 2+2 meeting would provide a comprehensive overview of cross-cutting defence, strategic, and security ties.
The “2+2 Dialogue,” initiated in 2018, aims to bolster defence cooperation and align policy objectives in the Indo-Pacific region. The ongoing dialogue will facilitate a high-level review of progress in various aspects, including defence and security cooperation, technology value chain collaborations, and people-to-people ties.