India-U.S. discuss bilateral issues, Indo-Pacific

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New Delhi, January 4 : India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had a broad-ranging telephonic conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday, Jan. 3, 2022.

The conversation focused on bilateral and global issues, including the current state of affairs in the Indo-Pacific region. Both sides also exchanged New Year greetings. “A broad-ranging conversation yesterday night with @SecBlinken. Covered current bilateral issues, Indo-Pacific and pressing global matters. Also exchanged New Year greetings,” Jaishankar said in a tweet.

The conversation between India and the United States comes at a time when the countries are preparing for the next edition of the “two-plus-two” foreign and defense ministerial talks. The “two-plus-two” dialogue is likely to take place later this month or in February in Washington, US.

The previous 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue between the two countries was held in October 2020. On September 1, this year, India and the United States held a bilateral 2+2 Inter-sessional meeting at the official level in Washington and exchanged assessments on developments in South Asia, the Indo-Pacific region and the Western Indian Ocean.

Both sides took stock of the progress and developments in the bilateral agenda under the India-US strategic partnership, including defense, global public health, economic and commercial cooperation, science and technology, clean energy and climate finance, and people to people ties, the MEA had informed in a statement earlier.