US welcomes India’s rise as a leading regional and global power

Team Udayavani, Oct 26, 2020, 9:45 AM IST

Washington: The United States welcomes India’s emergence as a leading regional and global power, the US State Department said ahead of the 2+2 ministerial in New Delhi.

It also said the US is looking forward to work closely with India during the latter’s upcoming UNSC term, starting January 1, 2021.

“The United States welcomes India’s emergence as a leading regional and global power. The United States looks forward to collaborating closely with India during its upcoming term on the UN Security Council,” the State Department said in a fact sheet before the start of the 3rd 2+2 India US ministerial in New Delhi.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper will hold meetings with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh for the US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue.

The visiting leaders will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hold discussions with other government and business leaders on ways to advance the US-India Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, it said.

In a fact sheet, the State Department said the two countries have a strong and growing bilateral relationship built on shared values and a commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.

As the world’s oldest and largest democracies, the United States and India enjoy deeply rooted democratic traditions, it added.

“The growth in the partnership reflects a deepening strategic convergence on a range of issues. Our cooperation is expanding in important areas including health, infrastructure development, energy, aviation, science, and space,” it said, adding that holding the third US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in just over two years demonstrates a high-level commitment to their shared diplomatic and security objectives.

President Donald Trump made a historic visit to India earlier this year, speaking in Ahmedabad before over 100,000 people.

Pompeo’s visit marks the fourth visit to India by a Secretary of State during the Trump Administration.