2+2 Talks: US Officials Reach India, Mike Pompeo Meets Jaishankar
The two sides may finalise the long-pending BECA agreement to boost bilateral defence ties.
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Ahead of the 2+2 ministerial dialogue between the United States and India on Tuesday, 27 October, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo met External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Monday, ANI reported.
Post the meeting, EAM Jaishankar tweeted saying, “Discussed key bilateral, regional and global issues. Reviewed progress in ties: grown substantially in every domain. Our foreign policy consultations and cooperation have expanded.”
Earlier on Monday, US Secretary of Defence, Mark Esper, had met the Indian delegation led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi. “Today’s discussions will add new vigour to India-US defence relations & mutual cooperation,” Singh tweeted after the meeting.
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 at the bilateral meeting.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo along with his wife Susan Pompeo as well as Esper arrived in the national capital earlier on Monday for the talks.
On Sunday, Mike Pompeo took to Twitter and informed that he has left for his trip to India.
China to Be Prominent on Agenda
China is expected to be a prominent agenda of the meeting. In the past few months, India has been locked in a standoff along the border with China. At the same time, the US has been criticising China over military assertiveness in the South China Sea and the way Beijing handled the anti-government protests in Hong Kong.
Last week, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said the talks will entail a comprehensive discussion on cross-cutting bilateral issues as well as deliberations on regional and global developments.
"The third ministerial dialogue will entail comprehensive cross-cutting bilateral issues of mutual interests. In addition, both sides will also exchange views on regional and international issues," MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava had said at a media briefing.
It is expected that the two sides may finalise the long-pending Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) agreement to further boost bilateral defence ties. The BECA will provide for sharing of high-end military technology, logistics and geospatial maps between the two countries, reported India Today.
Moreover, PTI quoted officials as saying that US Secretary of Defence Esper will be given a tri-services guard of honour at the lawns of South Block in the Raisina Hills on Monday afternoon.
(With inputs from PTI and India Today)
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