US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to travel to India ahead of third QUAD Summit

Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, is scheduled to visit India in early March, news ncy ANI reported. US State Department is considering scheduling Blinken's arrival in New Delhi in first week of March. This will be in run-up to President Joe Biden convening a meeting of Quadrilateral Security Dialogues (QUAD) leaders. "Secretary Blinken will be meeting his Indian counterpart to lay groundwork for upcoming QUAD leaders summit in May 2023," a source told ANI. 

US Secretary of State is also scheduled to attend Raisina Dialogue, a multilateral conference scheduled in New Delhi from March 2 to March 4. Raisina Dialogue is an annual conference on geopolitics and geo-ecomics organised by Observer Research Foundation (ORF), an independent think tank, in association with Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). 

Big QUAD meet on cards
 

next QUAD meeting will be third annual summit of members -- India, Australia, Japan and United States. last summit took place in Tokyo while next summit may be held in Sydney, although an official declaration is yet to be made. " summit is expected to be held in Sydney and for w, most likely all four leaders will be present in person for summit. President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will travel to Sydney to meet Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to furr cement Quad cooperation," ANI reported citing a person familiar with developments. 

Ar person familiar with developments spoke to ANI, " summit is expected to be held in Sydney and for w, most likely all four leaders will be present in person for summit. President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will travel to Sydney to meet Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to furr cement Quad cooperation."

When S Jaishankar met Antony Blinken last 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on sidelines of ASEAN-India Summit in Combodia in vember last year. two leaders discussed conflict in Ukraine, Indo-Pacific region and bilateral ties between India and United States. 

Antony Blinken is also scheduled to travel to China to continue discussions on US' most complex relationship. However, a visit is yet to be formally confirmed.