EAM Jaishankar concludes 'productive & substantive' US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar 'concluded a productive and substantive' US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue and further hailed ties in the field of counterterrorism and maritime security. On Monday, Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held discussions on several issues including the ongoing Russia- Ukraine war, the Afghanistan situation, challenges pertaining to the Indo-Pacific region, and a range of key bilateral issues.

In a tweet, the External Affairs Minister wrote, "Concluded a productive and substantive 2+2 Ministerial Meeting. Discussed contemporary challenges and issues in an open and constructive manner. Resolved that our strategic partnership would continue to grow and play a greater role in shaping the direction of world affairs".

Speaking at US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, Jaishankar said, "There is no domain in which India and the US are not cooperating and the nature of our opportunities and challenges are such that they are more effectively addressed through a cross-cutting dialogue". 

The minister added that the collaboration between the two countries has grown well beyond its bilateral scope and has a visible impact on global issues including climate change, COVID-19, maritime security, and critical technologies.

He said that the 2+2 Dialogue is aimed to promote a more integrated approach to their partnership and this is becoming increasingly relevant as the scope and intensity of their engagement steadily increase.

Joe Biden and PM Modi meet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden met virtually on Monday morning and discussed the situation in Ukraine while developments in Sri Lanka and Pakistan were also touched upon. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were in Washington for the fourth ‘2+ 2’ foreign and defence ministry dialogues with their U.S. counterparts. 

In the opening remarks, Biden said, “The United States and India are going to continue our close consultation on how to manage the destabilising effects of this Russian war". 

While PM Modi who spoke via video link to Biden described the war in Ukraine as “very worrying” and mentioned he had spoken, several times with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, urging peace. 

(Image: @DrSJaishankar/Twitter)