New Delhi
The fourth India-US 2+2 ministerial dialogue, the first under the US President Joe Biden administration, was held in Washington on Monday.
The discussions, it is said, encouraged the two countries to think together on long-term challenges, especially in the Indo-Pacific.
It has also energized the collaborative endeavours to build what is emerging as a key bilateral relationship between India and the United States.
In his opening remarks at the 2+2 ministerial dialogue, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that India
places the highest priority upon the strategic partnership with the US.
"In a decade, our defense suppliers from the USA rose from negligible to a cumulative around of
over $20 billion US. We look forward to US companies investing in India and supporting the 'Make In India'
program. We look forward to further enhancing the depth and the scope of our defense cooperation,"
he said.
The cooperation would be to give "effect to our shared vision of a free, open, inclusive, and rules-bound
Indo-Pacific and the Indian Ocean region".
"We are working with the US to double up capabilities across conventional and emerging defense domains," he said.
In his remarks, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said, "What India and the US do
together will make a difference".
"Our collaboration has grown well beyond its bilateral scope and now has a visible impact on global issues,
as well. It could be addressing the COVID challenge, taking climate action, ensuring maritime security, or promoting critical technologies," he said.
"We have seen, particularly over the last year, both an elevation and an intensification of the Quad. Our achievements in this regard have a larger resonance," the Minister said.
The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken said: "This is a momentous moment in global affairs, and I think as a result this partnership is even more consequential and more vital".
"This year, as has been noted, marks India’s 75th year of independence, 75 years of our
own relationship. We look very much forward to continuing to build a stronger future for both of our countries,
both of our peoples through our defense and security cooperation".
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said, "We are positioning the U.S. and Indian militaries to
operate and coordinate closely together across all domains and increasingly across the wider Indo-Pacific,
all in support of the rule of law, freedom of the seas, and regional peace and security".
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India, US Ministerial Dialogue condemn 'civilian deaths' in Ukraine
New Delhi
The 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue between India and the US reviewed mutual efforts to respond to the 'worsening humanitarian crisis' in Ukraine and assessed its broader implications.
At the Dialogue attended by EAM Dr S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with their
counterparts Antony Blinken and Lloyd Austin, they urged an immediate cessation of hostilities.
"The Ministers unequivocally condemned civilian deaths. They underscored that the contemporary global order
has been built on the UN Charter, respect for international law, and the sovereignty and territorial
integrity of all states," a Joint Statement said.
Recalling the inaugural virtual Quad Leaders’ Summit in March 2021, the in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit in
September 2021 in Washington, the February 2022 Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Melbourne, and looking
forward to the next Quad Leaders’ Summit in Tokyo in 2022, the Ministers reaffirmed their commitment
to "a free and open Indo-Pacific" in which the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states are respected,
and countries are free from military, economic, and political coercion.
"They further reaffirmed their dedication to promoting regional stability and prosperity, with an inclusive regional
architecture, abiding by the rule of law, the freedom of navigation and overflight, peaceful resolution of disputes,
and ASEAN centrality".
They also reiterated the importance of adherence to international law to meet challenges to the rules-based
order, including in the South China Sea.
The Ministers welcomed the progress made in the last year on developing a positive and constructive agenda
for the Quad to deliver peace and prosperity to the region in pursuance of their shared vision.
The Ministers said steps would be taken to empower the Quad "as a force for global good" for the Indo-Pacific region and welcomed ongoing discussions in the Quad Working Groups on vaccines, climate change, infrastructure, space and
cyber security.
Meanwhile, the US Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that US Deputy National Security Advisor Daleep Singh’s
comment in New Delhi last week was not any “warning” to India.
"I wouldn’t characterise it as a warning nor did we at the time,” she said.
“He (Singh) went and had a constructive conversation and made clear that while it’s the decision of each
individual country, including India, to determine whether they’re going to import Russian oil,” Ms. Psaki said.
The Ukraine conflict and India's stand on importing Russian oil figured at the virtual talk between Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden as well.
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