New Delhi: Aiming to take relations between both the nations to a newer height, India and the US have committed to further deepen military-to-military and strategic cooperation.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday met US Secretary of Defense Mark T Esper and Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo in Washington DC for the second annual India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue.
It is the highest-level institutional mechanism between the two countries and provides for a review of the security, defence and strategic partnership between India and the United States. This was the second 2+2 meeting and the first in US, the Defence Ministry said.
At the Dialogue, both sides positively appraised the growing partnership between India and the United States and noted that important milestones had been achieved since the inaugural 2+2 dialogue here in 2018.
Both sides reiterated their commitment to advancing a free, open, inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, it added.
At the Dialogue, both sides also committed to further deepen military-to-military cooperation, including between the Indian Navy and the US Navy Fleets under US Indo-Pacific Command, Central Command, and Africa Command and intend to expand similar cooperation between their respective Armies and Air Forces.
The two sides concluded the Industrial Security Annex during the visit.
Priority initiatives have been identified for execution under the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) programme. The two sides also concluded a standard operating procedure for this process.
After the 2+2 meeting, Mr Singh along with Dr Jaishankar called on President of the United States, Donald J Trump at the Oval Office.
They were accompanied by US National Security Adviser Ambassador Robert O’Brian.
Mr Singh began his visit to the US from New York on December 16 where he had addressed a large Indian community reception.
