India, US to discuss defence, Af crisis in slew of meetings

NEW DELHI: India and the United States are set to hold a series of meetings in the coming weeks that will take forward cooperation in key areas such as counter-terrorism, defence and the Indo-Pacific and help shape the response to the situation in Afghanistan.

These meetings, including the 2+2 ministerial dialogue, are being scheduled against the backdrop of US deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman’s remarks that the US does not see itself “building a broad relationship” with Pakistan.

Defence secretary Ajay Kumar is expected to travel to the US this week for a meeting of the bilateral Defence Policy Group (DPG), people familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity. The DPG is the highest body that oversees cooperation in areas such as exercises, defence technology, joint research and development and production, and military exchanges.

The India-US joint working group on counter-terrorism is set to meet during October 26-28, and the two sides will also hold the bilateral homeland security dialogue and talks on designation of terrorist individuals and entities in the coming weeks, the people said.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman is also expected to visit the US, and a meeting of the Trade Policy Forum, which is co-chaired by the US trade representative and India’s commerce minister, is on the cards.

The 2+2 defence and foreign ministers’ dialogue is expected to be held in November though the dates are yet to be locked in, the people added.

India will also participate in the Summit for Democracies to be hosted by the US during December 9-10.

Speaking at a virtual event organised by the Ananta Centre on Thursday, Sherman highlighted the importance of the relationship with India for the US.

“With so much that unites us, I truly believe that there is no challenge so great that the US and India cannot overcome it by working together,” she said.

At the same time, she said she was travelling from India to Pakistan on the last leg of a four-nation trip for a “very specific and narrow purpose”.

“We don’t see ourselves building a broad relationship with Pakistan and we have no interest in returning to the days of a hyphenated India-Pakistan. That’s not where we are, that’s not where we are going to be,” Sherman said.

She indicated her visit to Pakistan was largely focused on the situation in Afghanistan, and the need to get the Taliban to deliver on their commitments.“But we all need to know what’s going on in Afghanistan, we all need to be of one mind in the approach to the Taliban. We all need to make sure that we have the capabilities that we need to ensure everybody’s security, including India’s of course,” she said.

DEPUTY SECY OF STATE WENDY SHERMAN SAID

THE US DOES NOT SEE ITSELF ‘BUILDING A BROAD RELATIONSHIP’ WITH PAKISTAN