"Great example of significance": US defence expert on India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue

New Delhi [India], November 8 : Ahead of the India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for South and Southeast Asia, US Defence, Dr Joseph H Felter said on Wednesday that the upcoming dialogue between both India and US defence ministers and foreign ministers shows the significance and importance of the relationship between the two countries.
"I think it is a great example of the significance and importance that both the US and India place on the relationship. The fact that our very busy Defence Ministers and Foreign Ministers are coming together to talk about areas where we can cooperate, says a lot about the importance of the US-India relationship and the importance that both sides place on that...The whole world benefits from a strong India in defence," he said.
He also went on to mention the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war as well and said that the collaboration between India and the US is 'more encouraging'.
He added, "The current conflict seen in Ukraine and even the recent war in Israel--Hamas's brutal attacks on Israel--we are seeing the role of commercial technology on the battlefield as we have never seen it anywhere before...Organisations like DIU - it is encouraging to see the progress they have made. The collaboration between the two is even more encouraging..."
The US defence expert also underscored the contribution of Indian engineers to US technological companies and said that start-ups from India are developing amazing technologies with Indian talent and expertise.
Felter said, "It is impressive. I come from Silicon Valley and half of our technology companies are founded, co-founded or led by Indian engineers and computer scientists. So, the reputation of India in Silicon Valley is fantastic. With the Indian talent and expertise, it is no surprise that the start-ups from India are competing and developing some amazing technologies."
As the fifth India-US 2+2 Ministerial dialogue is all set to take place in New Delhi on November 10, the defence and the foreign ministers of both countries will take the opportunity to progress the futuristic roadmap for the India-US partnership as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar will welcome US Secretary of State Antony J Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd J Austin III for the Fifth India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue here in the national capital, the Ministry of External Affairs said in an official release.
A high-level assessment of the advancements being made in intersecting areas of technological value chain partnerships, people-to-people relationships, and military and security cooperation will be possible through the 2+2 dialogue.
The ministers of both nations will not only take the opportunity to progress the futuristic roadmap for the India-US partnership but will also take stock of contemporary regional issues.
According to the MEA release, the leaders will also exchange views about shared priorities for augmenting cooperation in multilateral platforms, and through frameworks such as QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue).
Notably, Rajnath Singh and Jaishankar are also slated to have bilateral meetings with their respective US counterparts, which will mark a continuity of ministerial dialogue and reaffirm the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.
Earlier a release from the US Department of Defence said that "Secretary Lloyd Austin will travel to India to meet with his counterpart, Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh, to discuss expanding defence industrial cooperation, enhancing interoperability, and advancing innovation through the India-U.S. Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X)."
"The Secretary and Minister Singh will also participate in the fifth 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue alongside Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar. Following the Ministerial, Secretaries Blinken and Austin will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi" the release read.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been crisscrossing the Middle East in an effort to resolve the crisis even as the Israel-Hamas conflict enters its second month. The crisis in the Middle East is likely to feature in the 2+2 dialogue.