Donald Lu, the US assistant secretary of State for South and Central Asia, has concluded a two-day visit to Bangladesh and proceeded to Delhi. During his visit, Lu has already held meetings with senior Indian officials.
The discussions in Delhi encompassed not only mutual cooperation on security matters but also topics such as ceasefires in Ukraine and Gaza.
On Monday (16 September) the US Department of State issued a media note regarding the meetings, referring to the discussions as the "US-India 2+2 International Dialogue".
The press release stated that during the eighth US-India 2+2 International Dialogue, officials from the United States and India convened in New Delhi to explore opportunities for expanding cooperation.
The dialogue was co-chaired by Donald Lu and Jedidiah P Royal, principal deputy assistant secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, alongside Nagraj Naidu, joint secretary of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, and Vishwesh Negi, joint secretary of the Indian Ministry of Defence for International Cooperation.
The release highlighted that the 2+2 International Dialogue has advanced shared priorities including defence cooperation, space and civil aviation collaboration, clean energy partnerships, and industrial and logistical coordination.
The officials discussed various issues such as supporting a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza, and extending humanitarian aid.
Assistant Secretary Lu and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Royal reiterated the United States' commitment to further enhancing the partnership and expanding people-to-people ties.
The dialogue has established a foundation for the next 2+2 ministerial-level discussions, serving as a key platform for advancing the comprehensive global and strategic partnership between the United States and India.
