Direct talks (2 + 2 talks) between Indian, US foreign, and defense ministers have been going on annually since 2018. The third 2 + 2 talks are scheduled for today and tomorrow in Delhi.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper are arriving in India today to attend. The two, who took off on a flight from the US at midnight yesterday, arrived in Delhi this afternoon.
Pompeo, who had earlier posted on Twitter about his trip, said he was touring India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Indonesia, and that a third 2 + 2 talks would demonstrate India-US commitment to diplomatic and security purposes.
The delegation, led by Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Foreign Minister Jaishankar, will hold talks with Mike Pompeo and Mark Esper in Delhi tomorrow. Regional security and international issues will be discussed during the meeting. The US State Department said the talks would focus on regional security cooperation, military information sharing, military relations, and defense trade.
Pompeo is visiting India for the fourth time as the Trump administration’s foreign minister. Apart from 2 + 2 talks, he is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Modi during his visit.
