Indian and U.S. officials have gathered in the Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey, California, for the 2+2 intersessional and the Maritime Security Dialogue.
The U.S. will be led by Acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia Alice Wells and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Affairs Randall Schriver. Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary, Americas, and officials from the Indian Embassy in Washington will participate from the Indian side.
“During the intersessional, the two sides will discuss ways to advance cooperation on critical diplomatic and security priorities, including our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, and review preparations for the next 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue,” the State Department said through a statement issued on Wednesday.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo are set to meet for the 2+2 Dialogue later in the autumn in the U.S.
Since their first 2+2 Dialogue in September 2018, India and the U.S. have had intense engagement albeit with mixed results in the trade, strategic and defence aspects of their relationship. Since August 5, the U.S., including President Donald Trump, have engaged with the administration of both countries at the highest levels.
During Friday’s Maritime Security Dialogue, the two countries will discuss maritime developments in the Indo-Pacific and the strengthening of bilateral maritime security cooperation.
Five officials from the Ministry of Defence — the Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) and the Joint Secretary (Navy), the Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (ACNS) Foreign Cooperation and Intelligence (FCI) and a one-star officer from Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) as well as the Director International Cooperation (IC) — will attend the Security Dialogue.
(With inputs from Suhasini Haidar and Dinakar Peri in New Delhi)
