India to hold third edition of 2+2 dialogue with the US on Oct 27 in Delhi: MEA

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday anunced that India would hold third edition of 2+2 ministerial dialogue with United States on October 27. For third edition of 2+2 dialogue, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark T Esper will visit Delhi on October 26 where y would be hosted by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Last year, second edition of 2+2 dialogue was held between two countries in Washington on December 18, 2019. India’s Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar and Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh were hosted by ir US counterparts in Washington.

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nda for third edition 

Meanwhile, as per ncy sources, third edition of 2+2 dialogue will be centred around discussing Indo-Pacific region which was also a big talking point for countries during second edition of QU 2020. Back in August 2019, US h also hosted an inter-sessional meeting of US-India 2+2 Dialogue in California where two countries followed up on first meeting and shared visions of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. 

US has been pushing for a broer role for India in strategically important Indo-Pacific region. With formation of QU, India has assumed a greater role in region backed by countries like Japan and Australia apart from US. 

Pompeo and Esper are also expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security viser Ajit Doval on sidelines of 2+2 ministerial dialogue. China's aggression at LAC is likely to be discussed, on which Washington has alrey extended its support to New Delhi. 

Both sides are also likely to sign Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) for geo-spatial cooperation after y agreed to expedite work of deal earlier this year.  signing of BECA could be a significant landmark in US-India strategic cooperation as it allows India to use global geospatial maps of US for accuracy of stand-off weapons like cruise and ballistic missiles.

first 2+2 dialogue was held in Delhi in September 2018 after mechanism was approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump.

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