U.S.' Antony Blinken and Llyod Austin to travel to India for 2+2 Ministerial dialogue

Blinken to visit India for 2+2 dialogue. Trip to include Israel, Jordan, Japan, S. Korea. Will discuss bilateral, global concerns, humanitarian assistance, peace in Middle East, free and open Indo-Pacific with India

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin would be travelling to India for the 2+2 Ministerial dialogue with their Indian counterparts External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi this month, the State Department has said.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said that Mr. Blinken’s trip to India comes at the end of a more than a week-long trip — November 2 to November 10 — beginning with Israel and Jordan, following which he would continue with his Indo-Pacific travels to Japan, South Korea and India.

The exact dates of his trips to these countries have not been announced. In New Delhi, the U.S. delegation will participate in the 2+2 Ministerial dialogue.

“The delegation will meet with Minister for External Affairs S. Jaishankar, Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh, and other senior Indian officials to discuss both bilateral and global concerns and developments in the Indo-Pacific,” Mr. Miller said.

Mr. Blinken is leaving for Tel Aviv on Thursday.

“In Israel, Blinken will reiterate U.S. support for Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism consistent with international humanitarian law and discuss efforts to safeguard U.S. citizens in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, work to secure the immediate release of hostages, increase the pace and volume of humanitarian assistance entering Gaza for distribution to Palestinian civilians, and prevent the conflict from spreading,” Mr. Miller said.

In Jordan, he will underscore the importance of protecting civilian lives and their shared commitment to facilitating the increased, sustained delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza, the resumption of essential services, and ensuring that Palestinians are not forcibly displaced outside of Gaza.