The growth in India-US partnership reflects a deepening strategic convergence on a range of issues with cooperation expanding in areas including health, infrastructure development, energy, aviation, science, and space, the US State Department has highlighted ahead of the India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue this week.
“Holding the third US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in just over two years demonstrates high-level commitment to our shared diplomatic and security objectives,” said a fact sheet issued by the office of the Spokesperson, US Department of State.
US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo and the US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper are visiting New Delhi on October 26-27. The two will lead the US-India 2+2 meeting with their Indian counterparts, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar and Defence Mantri Rajnath Singh, on October 27. Pompeo and Esper will also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss ways to advance the US-India Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.
Jaishankar and Pompeo are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting on October 26.
Bilaterl defence trade
On bilateral defence trade that has increased significantly over the past two decades, the fact sheet pointed out that as of 2020 the US has authorised more than $20 billion in defence sales to India. “The United States and India enjoy robust defence industrial cooperation. Through the US- India Defence Technology and Trade Initiative, the United States and India work together on co-production and co-development of defence equipment,” it said.
The recent Quadrilateral Ministerial meeting in Tokyo convened by Pompeo and his counterparts from India, Japan, and Australia, demonstrated the strong cooperative ties among Indo-Pacific democracies interested in strengthening a rules-based order in which all nations are sovereign, strong, and prosperous, it added. “India, with its large economy, strong support for entrepreneurship and innovation, and its growing international trade, is one of the world’s leading economic powers and is well positioned to promote our shared vision for a free and rules-based Indo-Pacific where all nations can prosper,” the fact sheet stated.