Secure, open Indo-Pacific key area of focus at India, US 2+2 ministerial meet
Geopolitical challenges such as the Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas conflict also figured in the 2+2 dialogue
New Delhi: The defence and foreign ministers of India and the US met on Friday to explore ways to ramp up the bilateral strategic partnership, including enhanced cooperation in critical minerals and high technology and measures to bolster security in the Indo-Pacific region.
Geopolitical challenges such as the Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas conflict also figured in the 2+2 dialogue co-chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh and external affairs minister S Jaishankar and their American counterparts Lloyd Austin and Antony Blinken.
“In the 2+2, we will undertake [a] comprehensive overview of cross-cutting strategic, defence and security ties, technology and supply chain collaborations, and people-to-people exchanges,” Jaishankar said in televised opening remarks.
A key area of focus is the Indo-Pacific region, and the two sides would also exchange views on developments in West Asia and Ukraine, he said.
Singh said the two countries need to keep their focus on important and long-term issues despite various emerging geopolitical challenges.
“The India-US bilateral relationship has seen a growing convergence of strategic interests and enhanced defence, security and intelligence cooperation. Defence remains one of the most important pillars of our bilateral relationship,” Singh added.
Blinken emphasised the role of India and the US in promoting a free, open, prosperous, secure and resilient Indo-Pacific, including by strengthening their partnership through the Quad with Japan and Australia.
While the two sides are meeting at a time of great momentum in the bilateral partnership, it is more important than ever for the world’s two largest democracies to find common goals and deliver for their people amid urgent global challenges.
Strategic and security cooperation between India and the US has advanced despite their differences on the Ukraine war. The US and its allies are also looking to bolster India as a counterweight to China.
General Electric has reached an agreement with India’s state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to manufacture the GE414 engine in India. The Indian side also plans to acquire 31 MQ-9B Reaper drones from the US. The two sides have also made rapid progress under their initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET).
Jaishankar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US in June “truly opened a new chapter in our relationship” and US President Joe Biden’s visit to New Delhi in September for the G20 Summit too contributed to the positive trajectory of the ties.
Biden’s “support was key to ensuring productive outcomes at the G20 Summit”, he said.
Two-way trade is worth more than $200 billion, foreign direct investment in both directions is rising, and there are 270,000 Indian students in the United States, which also has an Indian diaspora of 4.4 million.
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“We are exploring domains such as critical technologies, civil outer space collaboration and critical minerals even while consolidating on established domains,” Jaishankar said.
Singh said India and US are closer than ever before, and their partnership is critical for ensuring a free and rules-bound Indo-Pacific. “We look forward to closely working with the US across the domains of defence for capability building and for abiding partnerships which can address emerging challenges,” he added.
Austin noted that the two sides are integrating their industrial bases, strengthening interoperability, and sharing cutting-edge technology. “The scope of our cooperation is vast. It stretches from the sea bed to space,” he said.
Blinken pointed to the “very ambitious agenda” set by Biden and Modi at their meeting in June in order to build “an even stronger and even more comprehensive strategic partnership” that delivers for the region and the world.
As part of efforts to ensure the Indo-Pacific remains free and open, the two sides are enhancing maritime domain awareness and sharing commercial satellite data with countries in the region to boost their capacity to combat illegal fishing, piracy and drug trafficking, Blinken said.
India and the US are also bolstering the partnership for international security and working to promote a rules-based order and to uphold sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence, he added.