Top US and Indian Officials to Convene for 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue tomorrow

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will preside over the India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue on November 10, alongside US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Following the Ministerial Dialogue, US Defense Secretary Austin will engage in bilateral discussions with Rajnath Singh. Austin arrived in New Delhi today and was received with a Tri-Service Guard of Honour at the Palam Technical Area. Austin departed for India from Joint Base Andrews to participate in the fifth India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue. Following his visit to India, Austin will travel to Korea and Indonesia, marking his ninth trip to the Indo-Pacific region. Secretary Blinken will arrive in New Delhi tomorrow to participate in the India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue.

“Secretary Austin and US Secretary of State Mr Antony Blinken will co-chair the Ministerial 2+2 Dialogue with Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh and Minister of External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar on November 10,” the Ministry of Defence stated in a press release. Several issues will be addressed during the bilateral meeting and the Ministerial 2+2 Dialogue.

“A range of strategic, defense, and technology issues are expected to be discussed during the 2+2 dialogue and the bilateral meeting,” the statement added. Notably, US Defense Secretary Austin visited India in June 2023 and conferred with Rajnath Singh. The 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, held annually since 2018, brings together the Minister of External Affairs and the Defence Minister of India with their US counterparts, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defence. The dialogue will facilitate high-level discussions between the US and India, addressing critical bilateral and global issues, with a particular focus on developments in the Indo-Pacific region. The discussions are expected to cover a broad range of topics, including strengthening bilateral ties, addressing global concerns, and fostering cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. The leaders of both nations will utilize this opportunity to advance the future roadmap for the India-US partnership while also evaluating contemporary regional issues.

According to the MEA release, the leaders will also exchange perspectives on shared priorities for enhancing cooperation on multilateral platforms and within frameworks such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD).