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NEW DELHI: On Friday, the 2+2 ministerial talk between India and the United States started. Rajnath Singh, India's Defence Minister, spoke about the strong agreement between the two countries on important matters. This includes dealing with China's aggressive actions. He said the partnership is very important for keeping the Indo-Pacific region free, open, and following rules.
Rajnath Singh and S Jaishankar, India's External Affairs Minister, represented India in these talks. The US team was led by Antony Blinken, Secretary of State, and Lloyd Austin, Defence Secretary.
Singh mentioned, "Our defence relationship with the US has become a strong partnership. This is based on trust, common values, and the understanding that we both are concerned about keeping peace and security in the world. We often agree on big issues. These include dealing with China's aggressive behavior, supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific, and managing security problems in the region."
He also talked about focusing on the safety of the seas in the Indo-Pacific area. "Keeping sea routes safe and promoting stability are very important. Our teams are working together to make sure we get good results," said Singh. India and China have been facing problems for three years now. This is because of the tension at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). There have been 19 rounds of talks to solve boundary problems in eastern Ladakh since 2020, after China's aggressive actions there.
Defence Minister Singh also said that this strong understanding between India and the US should lead to new areas of working together. "We are looking at new ways to work together. This includes better defence, working together in industry, making technology sharing easier, having strong supply chains in all areas, and focusing on maritime security," Singh said. Before the talks, he stated, "Despite many new challenges in the world, we must keep our attention on important and long-term issues. Our partnership is very important for making sure the Indo-Pacific region is free, open, and follows rules. We are ready to work closely with the US in different areas and are looking forward to good discussions today."
Singh stressed that defence is a key part of the India-US relationship. At the beginning of the fifth India-US ‘2+2’ defence and foreign ministerial dialogue, he welcomed Blinken and Austin. He mentioned that the relationship between India and the US is stronger than ever. "The India-US relationship is growing stronger, especially in areas of strategic interest, defence, security, and intelligence. Defence is a key part of our relationship. Your visit to India comes at a time when our countries are very close," Singh said. Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of Defence, noted that India and the US have made great progress in building a defence partnership over the last year. He said it's important for both countries to share views, find common goals, and work for the people of both nations, especially when facing global challenges. (ANI)
