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New Delhi: India on Thursday (April 7) said that the much-awaited 2+2 dialogue with the US next week would provide an opportunity to exchange views on important regional and global developments and also ensure how both sides can work together to address common interests and concerns.
Of course, the emerging geopolitical situation in Ukraine is expected to be discussed at length during the dialogue.
The fourth edition of the 2+2 Plus Ministerial Dialogue will be held on April 11 in Washington.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will hold talks with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and both sides are expected to exchange views on important regional and global developments.
Arindam Bagchi, an MEA spokesperson, said, “The dialogue would enable both sides to undertake a comprehensive review of cross-cutting issues in the India-US bilateral agenda related to foreign policy, defence and security with the objective of providing strategic guidance and vision for further consolidating the relationship.”
Dr Jaishankar is also scheduled to meet senior members of the US administration to further advance the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.
“The 2+2 Dialogue will also provide an opportunity to exchange views about important regional and global developments and how we can work together to address issues of common interest and concern,” Mr Bagchi said.
“As part of an ongoing and regular dialogue, the Minister of External Affairs, Dr Jaishankar, will separately meet his US counterpart Secretary Blinken,” Bagchi said.
Jaishankar and Blinken held a telephonic conversation on Tuesday, focusing on the latest developments in Ukraine and bilateral ties.
MEA spokesperson Bagchi also said that India has established economic relations with Russia, and the focus has been to stabilise these ties in the current circumstances.
The Indo-US ties have evolved over the years and have lately taken a new dimension, especially in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
The last 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue between the two countries was held in October 2020 in New Delhi.
India and the United States held a bilateral 2+2 inter-sessional meeting in September 2021 in Washington. In 2021 engagements, both sides exchanged assessments on developments in South Asia, the Indo-Pacific region and the Western Indian Ocean.
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