US Defence Secy Lloyd Austin departs for India to attend Fifth India-US 2+2 Ministerial dialogue

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has embarked on his journey to India from Joint Base Andrews to partake in the fifth India-US 2+2 Ministerial dialogue, scheduled to take place in the national capital on Friday. Following his visit to India, Secretary Austin will continue his travels to Korea and Indonesia, marking his ninth visit to the Indo-Pacific region.

In a social media update on platform ‘X’, Secretary of Defense Austin emphasized the significance of his visit. He highlighted that the United States, in collaboration with its partners and allies, is making historic strides toward realizing a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. His post read, “Wheels up at @Andrews_JBA en route to India, the Republic of Korea, and Indonesia. My 9th visit to the Indo-Pacific comes as the U.S., along with our allies and partners, continue to make historic progress toward a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

As the fifth India-US 2+2 Ministerial dialogue draws near, the defense and foreign ministers of both nations will use this opportunity to advance the forward-looking roadmap for the India-US partnership, aligning with the vision outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar will extend a warm welcome to US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III for the Fifth India-U.S. 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi.

During the dialogue, the ministers from both countries will not only work on enhancing the future prospects of the India-US partnership but also assess current regional issues. According to the Ministry of External Affairs release, the leaders will exchange views on shared priorities for bolstering cooperation in multilateral forums and through frameworks like the QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue).

Notably, Rajnath Singh and Jaishankar will also engage in bilateral meetings with their respective US counterparts, underscoring the continuity of Ministerial Dialogue and reaffirming the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic partnership. Additionally, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s ongoing efforts to address the Middle East crisis, particularly the Israel-Hamas conflict, are expected to be a topic of discussion during the 2+2 dialogue.