Hailing the ties
between Bharat and United States, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said Prime
Minister Narendra Modi’s State visit to US had opened a new chapter in the Bharat-US
relationship.
During the 2+2
Ministerial Dialogue opening remarks at the Hyderabad House here in the
national capital, Jaishankar said the dialogue would be an opportunity to
advance the vision of the respective leaders of the two countries.
“The highlight
this year was the PM’s state visit to the United States in June; it has opened
a new chapter in our relationship. President Biden’s visit to Delhi in
September contributed immensely to the positive trajectory of our ties.
His support was
key to ensuring productive outcomes at the G20 summit. The dialogue today will
be an opportunity to advance the vision of our respective leaders. Building a
forward-looking partnership while we construct a shared global agenda,”
Jaishankar said.
He said a
comprehensive overview of defence and security ties, technology, and
people-to-people exchanges will be discussed.
“In the 2+2, we
will undertake a comprehensive overview of cross-cutting strategic, defence,
and security ties, technology and supply chain collaborations and
people-to-people exchanges…
Our trade is today
in excess of USD 200 Billion… 2,70,000 Indian students’ study in the United
States, and we have a diaspora of 4.4 million. A key focus of our discussions
today will be the Indo-Pacific region…,” he added.
In his remarks US
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the two countries are deepening
their people to people ties.
“…We’re
harnessing together the power of innovation to make our economies more
resilient and to make our communities more secure while expanding inclusive
economic opportunity. That’s evident in the cooperation on semiconductors and
advanced biotechnology, on our unprecedented investments in deploying clean
energy at scale in our countries as well as across the region, and our joint
research and exploration projects in space” said Secretary Blinken.
“Finally, we’re
deepening the remarkable ties between our people, which is really at the heart
of everything. Exploring new educational exchanges, even building steps to
facilitate travel between our countries, reducing VISA wait times…When
Indians and Americans study together, work together, and collaborate together,
the possibilities for progress are infinite” Secretary Blinken added.
Prior to the
opening remarks, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S
Jaishankar along with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and US Secretary of
State Antony Blinken posed for the traditional family photo as the US-India 2+2
Ministerial Dialogue got underway here in Delhi.
The India-US 2+2
Ministerial Dialogue is a diplomatic summit held every year since 2018, with
the Minister of External Affairs and the Defence Minister representing India
while the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defence represent the United
States.
ANI
