- Holds discussions with Secretary of State Blinken, NA Sullivan
- Preparations on for 2+2 Dialogue last held in 2022
WASHINGTON, September 29. Taking forward the wide range of engagement between India and the United States, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and his US counterpart, Antony J. Blinken met here to discuss the issues including the next round of 2+2 Dialogue.
Both leaders went through the key outcomes of India’s G20 presidency, creation of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor and the 2+2 dialogue with focus on defence, space and clean energy, US Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a release on Thursday.
Both Dr. Jaishankar and Mr. Blinken discussed the potential of the corridor to generate transparent, sustainable and high-standard infrastructure investments. The agreement for creating a corridor was signed on the sidelines of the G20 New Delhi Summit and is seen as a counter to the Belt and Road Initiative, infrastructure facilities being created by China.
The meetings are part of regular high-level interactions between the two sides but assume significance in the wake of the diplomatic row between India and Canada. The strain in relations came after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau levelled allegations linking the Indian government with the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani separatist leader earlier this year in British Columbia. The State Department statement made no mention of the issue.
Earlier, Dr. Jaishankar in a social media post said: “Recognised the tremendous progress in our bilateral relationship this year and discussed taking it forward,” after his meeting with U.S. National Security Advisor Mr. Jake Sullivan.
During the day, Dr. Jaishankar met with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and said they, “spoke about expanding trade and economic relationship and its broader significance.” There has been a significant turnaround in bilateral trade relations after New Delhi and Washington announced recently that both sides ended their disputes at the World Trade Organisation.
The last 2+2 Dialogue between the Foreign and Defence Ministers of India and the United States was held in Washington which among other discussed Space Situational Awareness Arrangement and subsequently India signed the Artemis Accords. Other subjects that were discussed last year included Defence Intelligence Dialogue, Military Supply Chain Cooperation and agreed to maintain close consultation on the crisis in Ukraine.
The External Affairs Minister also held interactions with think tanks in Washington and noted that he “discussed transformations underway around the world and India’s growing role”.
