Fifth India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue set to enhance bilateral ties

New Delhi: The Fifth India-U.S. 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue is scheduled to take place on November 10, 2023, in New Delhi, where Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of External Affairs Dr S. Jaishankar will meet their U.S. counterparts, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin III.

This meeting holds significant importance as both U.S. ministers have been actively engaged in international affairs, including the Israel-Gaza conflict and their multiple visits to Israel and Arab countries in the past month.

India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has demonstrated a keen interest in regional stability and humanitarian concerns in West Asia. Prime Minister Modi has engaged in substantial conversations with world leaders, reflecting India's commitment to addressing critical regional issues.

During the upcoming 2+2 dialogue, the ministers will focus on shaping a forward-looking roadmap for the India-U.S. partnership, building upon the vision articulated by Prime Minister Modi and President Joseph Biden during their discussions earlier this year in June and September.

The agenda will encompass a comprehensive review of contemporary regional issues and discussions on shared priorities for enhanced cooperation within multilateral forums and frameworks like the Quad.

In addition to the broader dialogue, both Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar will have individual bilateral meetings with their respective U.S. counterparts.

These discussions will not only continue the tradition of the Ministerial Dialogue but also reaffirm the strength of the India-U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic partnership.

In the previous year, the fourth '2+2' dialogue between India and the United States took place in Washington, D.C., on the sidelines of a virtual meeting between the Prime Minister of India and the President of the United States.

Significant topics discussed included the Space Situational Awareness Arrangement, Defence Artificial Intelligence Dialogue, joint cyber training and exercises, and Military Supply Chain Cooperation, aiming to bolster India's role as a defence industry leader in the Indo-Pacific.

The dialogue also covered discussions about the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, with both countries committing to close consultations, support for humanitarian assistance efforts, and an independent investigation into the violence against civilians in Ukraine.

The United States remains India's oldest and most significant 2+2 partner, with the first dialogue taking place in 2018 during the Trump Administration.

Since then, the two nations have solidified their military cooperation through a trio of "foundational pacts," including the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016, the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) following the first 2+2 dialogue in 2018, and the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) in 2020.

The 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue represents the highest-level institutional mechanism for exchanges between the two nations, where defence and foreign ministers or secretaries engage with their counterparts from the other country.