New Delhi: The third India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue will be held in New Delhi on October 27, 2020. India will be hosting the meet.
"US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark T Esper will be visiting India on 26-27 October 2020 to participate in the Dialogue. From the Indian side, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will lead the delegations from the Ministries of Defence and External Affairs, respectively," said a press statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday.
According to sources, US Secretary Mike Pompeo will be on a four-nation tour - India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia between October 25 and 30. The thrust of the visit of the two top US officials will be to strengthen strategic partnerships.
Moreover, amid growing tension between India and China, India is likely to sign the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) for geospatial cooperation with the United States.
This will be the third foundational agreement to be signed between India and the US after the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement and the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement in 2016 and 2018 respectively.
Also Read: 'US-India ties will be advanced to secure Indo-Pacific for all'
The focus of the two counties would certainly be China and how to contain growing Chinese aggression in the region. The purpose is to advance US-India Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and "expand cooperation to promote stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and the world," said a press release by the US State Department.
On Wednesday, during a press interaction, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "I'm especially looking forward to doing that with Secretary Esper in our two plus two ministerial dialogue with our Indian friends. It's been postponed because of the virus and glad we're going to be able to execute that in-person here in just a few days. I'm sure that my meetings would also include discussions on how free nations can work together against the threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party."
To underscore the commitment for a "free and open Indo-Pacific region", Pompeo will engage "a strong, sovereign Sri Lanka". As per reports, in Malé, Secretary Pompeo will advance partnership on issues ranging from regional maritime security to the fight against terrorism.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper, in his interaction at the Atlantic Council on Tuesday, mentioned how India has been standing up to Chinese belligerence when he said, "India will be the most consequential partner for us, in the Indo-Pacific for sure in this century. It's the world's largest democracy, a very capable country, very talented people and they face off every day Chinese aggression in the Himalayas, specifically along that Line of Actual Control."
"It's not an issue about China's rise. It's how they rise... So you see a lot closer collaboration come out and this will be reflected in our meetings next week in New Delhi as well when we travel there," he further added.
The first 2+2 Ministerial dialogue was held in New Delhi in September 2018 followed by another in Washington DC in 2019. "The agenda for the third Dialogue will cover all bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest," further said MEA.
Also Read: Indian envoy underlines 5 principles to take India-US ties to next level
