US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to arrive in New Delhi tomorrow to participate in the highly anticipated 5th India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue. This diplomatic summit, held annually since 2018, brings together high-ranking officials from both nations to discuss critical bilateral and global issues, with a particular focus on developments in the Indo-Pacific region.
Speaking about US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to India, US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel emphasized the deep partnership between the two countries. Patel stated, “India is a country that we have a deep partnership with. He (Blinken) will be going for the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue along with Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin. So I expect, of course, that deepening this security cooperation in partnership will be one of the many topics that are discussed.”
The visit follows Prime Minister Modi’s state visit to the United States earlier this year, during which the issue of security cooperation was raised. Patel added, “It was something that was obviously raised during Prime Minister Modi’s state visit earlier this year. And I know the secretary looks forward to being there and engaging directly with his counterparts on this. But I will let the trip take place before we talk more about it.”
Further, during the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defence Austin will meet with their Indian counterparts, Minister for External Affairs S. Jaishankar and Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh, along with other senior officials. The discussions are expected to cover a wide range of topics, including strengthening bilateral relations, addressing global concerns, and promoting cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
The United States is anticipated to emphasize military hardware cooperation during the dialogue, building on the recent USD 3 billion deal for supplying 31 MQ-9B Predator drones to the Indian defense forces. Additionally, discussions may also include the sale of six additional P-8I surveillance planes to India.
