2+2 Talks: ‘A defining moment in India-US bilateral ties,’ says Nirmala Sitharaman

India and the US held their first 2+2 dialogue on Thursday. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary James Mattis are in Delhi. They held talks with external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and senior officials. They signed a pact to provide encrypted defence technologies to the Indian military. They discussed key issues like cross-border terrorism, India's NSG bid and the contentious H-1B visa issue. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says, “I am delighted to be making my first trip to India as Secretary of State, sixteen weeks into my time. And especially because I'm here for this important two plus two strategic dialogue between our two countries. It is a clear demonstration the United States places, in terms of priority, of the relationship between the United States and India.

Indian Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “Today's meeting marks a defining moment in our bilateral ties. The commencement of the first-ever Ministerial two plus two between India and the United States is a concrete manifestation of the world vision of our leaders, Prime Minister Modi and President Donald Trump, to take the India-US relationship to an even high trajectory.”