Two-Plus-Two meet to touch upon various issues including QUAD, China, Russia & Ukraine
The ongoing war in Ukraine and US President Joe Biden’s remarks on India’s “shaky” stand on it is likely to dominate the upcoming two plus two dialogue between the heads of defence and external affairs of the two countries in Washington next month. Besides these issues, India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will also review the progress of the Quad combined with their US counterparts Llyod Austin and Antony Blinken respectively on April 11.
The heads of State of the QUAD combine including Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met in person for the first time last year in Washington. The meet was hosted by President Biden. The four countries including the US, India, Australia, and Japan took stock of the growing aggressive stance of China in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region. But after the Russia-Ukraine war, India’s pro-Russia or non-blaming Russia stand has irked the United States and there is confusion in the delivery of military equipments from Russia’s side to India, though, in many contracts like S-400 missiles, advance money was paid from India’s side. Russia’s pro-China stands are also trouble for India’s side.
India and US will review the entire gamut of strategic and defence ties during the two plus two dialogue. The US has emerged as one of the biggest weapon suppliers to India with the figure touching the 15 billion dollar mark in the last decade. The US is likely to make a strong pitch for its armed drones and other sophisticated weaponry for India. It will be the first two-plus-two dialogue since Joe Biden became President. He had recently said India is “shaky” on the issue of the Ukraine war and his officials said New Delhi may be on the “wrong side of history.”
India has all along maintained that dialogue is the only way out to resolve the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed this viewpoint to President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. Modi also favoured immediate cessation of hostilities.
Blinken and Austin are expected to share the US assessment of the Ukraine war and its impact at the global level, sources said. Meanwhile, India will give details of the persisting stand-offs at the border in Ladakh and a gist of the talks between Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi here last week, they said.
PGurus is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with all the latest news and views
For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.
