Bound by "shared values and a common vision" for a free and open Indo-Pacific region, the US and India will continue to chart an ambitious course in their bilateral defence partnership to meet the challenges of the 21st century, the Pentagon has said.
In a statement on Thursday, ahead of the fourth 2+2 ministerial dialogue to be held here on April 11, the Pentagon said US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken will host Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
Bound by shared values and a common vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region, the United States and India will continue to chart an ambitious course in the bilateral defence partnership, the Pentagon said in the statement.
India, the US and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China's rising military manoeuvring in the region. China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea.
Since its inception in 2018, the 2+2 Ministerial has allowed the US and India to work toward building an advanced, comprehensive defence partnership that is poised to meet the challenges of the 21st century, the Pentagon said.
This year's 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue will span the full breadth of the partnership - including defence, science and technology cooperation, climate, public health, and people-to-people ties, it said.
According to the State Department, this year's event will celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations and reaffirm the importance of the US-India Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership in ensuring international peace and security.
It will reaffirm our shared commitment to a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, it said.
The 2+2 Ministerial is an important opportunity to advance the shared objectives across the breadth of the US-India strategic partnership, including enhancing people-to-people ties and education cooperation, building diverse and resilient supply chains for critical and emerging technology.
It would also be aimed at scaling up climate action and public health cooperation and developing a trade and investment partnership to increase prosperity for working families in both countries, it said.
It is also a chance to highlight the growing Major Defence Partnership between the United States and India. The relationship between the world's largest democracies is built on a foundation of common values and resilient democratic institutions, and the shared Indo-Pacific interests of a rules-based international order that safeguards sovereignty and territorial integrity, upholds human rights and expands regional and global peace and prosperity, the State Department said.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dear Reader,
Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.
We, however, have a request.
As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.
Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.
Digital Editor
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU