Mike Pompeo arrives in India for 2+2 Dialogue, Mark Esper accorded Guard of Honour

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has arrived in New Delhi for the third edition of 2+2 ministerial dialogue scheduled to be held on October 27. India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hold the 2+2 ministerial dialogue with their US counterparts, Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark Esper. 

The spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Anurag Srivastava, tweed the pictures of US State Secretary and his wife Susan Pompeo being received by officials as per the protocol. MEA said that Jaishankar and Singh will lead the Indian side for the dialogue which has been “significant in propelling India-US ties forward.”

Separately, Esper was accorded Guard of Honour at South Block and was received by the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane, IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria and Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh were also present during a meet.

Read: US Secretary Of State Michael Pompeo Leaves For India To Take Part In India-US 2+2 Dialogue

Read: India-US 2+2 Dialogue To Focus On Four Themes To Strengthen Global Strategic Partnership

Meeting with PM Modi

The third India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue will focus on cross-cutting bilateral issues of mutual interest and the two sides will also exchange views on regional and international issues. Pompeo and Esper will also meet National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on the sidelines of the ministerial dialogue and there will be a joint call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India and the United States are expected to sign the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) for geo-spatial cooperation during 2+2 ministerial dialogue in New Delhi on October 26-27 after they agreed to expedite the work of the deal earlier this year. The signing of BECA will be a significant landmark in US-India strategic cooperation as it allows India to use global geospatial maps of the US for accuracy of stand-off weapons like cruise and ballistic missiles.

Read: India-US 2+2 Dialogue To Focus On Cross-cutting Bilateral, International Issues: MEA

Read: India To Hold Third Edition Of 2+2 Dialogue With The US On Oct 27 In Delhi: MEA