India, US 2-plus-2 meet delayed
The dialogue was seen as a vehicle to elevate the strategic relationship between the two countries.
Washington: The first Indo-US two-plus-two dialogue has been postponed due to the uncertainty over the confirmation of Mike Pompeo as the new secretary of state, an American official said after US President Donald Trump fired Rex Tillerson.
The two-day dialogue, announced last summer when Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a successful meeting with President Trump at the White House, was tentatively scheduled for April 18-19. “It has been postponed for now,” an informed US official said.
The official wishing anonymity, however, quickly pointed out that it would have no impact on the bilateral relationship as the meetings this week by the foreign and defence secretaries decided to continue with their agenda.
There was no official announcement of the high-level dialogue involving the foreign and defence ministers from the two countries.
The Indian delegation landed in Washington DC amidst the firing of Tillerson as the secretary of state by Trump.
The delegation continued with their meetings both at the state department and at the Pentagon as scheduled, during which it was decided to hold the dialogue at a later date, which appears unlikely before the summer. The dialogue was seen as a vehicle to elevate the strategic relationship between the two countries.
After June last year, the two countries have tried at several other dates for the dialogue to take place, including sometime in November and December.
Officials also checked for a time in January this year, but both sides were having a tough time in finding a day when all the four leaders — MEA Sushma Swaraj, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman from India and defence secretary Jim Mattis and the fired secretary of state Rex Tillerson, would be available.