India-US 2+2 Ministerial dialogue: Ukraine war, vaccine partnership discussed

India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin took place on April 11. The dialogue was preceded by a virtual meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden, as per a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) release. 

During the course of this dialogue, Rajnath Singh urged American companies to invest in India and support ‘Make in India’ programme. The ministers also talked at length about Ukraine crisis, promoting regional stability and prosperity, counter challenges in the South China Sea, free and open Indo-Pacific, Quad Vaccine Partnership, resilient supply chains, mutual prosperity and innovation among others.  

Top 10 points to know  

• The US congratulated India for its contributions as a member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for 2021-22 and reaffirmed its support for India’s permanent membership in a reformed UNSC and entry into the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG).
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh urged American defence companies to invest in India and support the ‘Make in India’ programme.  
• He said, “We are talking to US companies for co-development and co-production. We are proposing it to them. We have asked the US companies to work in UP and Tamil Nadu corridor and invest in that area.” 
• Singh noted that India-US military engagements increased with higher capability in communication, closer information sharing and enhanced mutual logistic support despite the pandemic.  
• The ministers talked about worsening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and assessed broader implications. They also condemned civilian deaths unequivocally and sought an immediate cessation of violence.  
• The issue of developing resilient supply chains also found a place as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that COVID-19 has left them with a lot of uncertainties and a lot of challenges to be addressed. He underlined the need for both countries to work together on emerging technologies like 5G and policies like Performance-Linked Incentive (PLI).  
• Jaishankar also talked about Afghanistan’s takeover by the Taliban and the humanitarian crisis that ensued thereafter. He said, “And the other issue again, which has added to global uncertainty is Afghanistan. And how do you stabilise the region, how do you again provide humanitarian assistance?”
• They also talked about the upcoming Quad Summit in Tokyo and reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific wherein sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states is respected and countries are free of economic, military and political coercion.  
• The ministers reiterated the importance of adhering to international law to meet challenges to rule-based order, including those in the South China Sea.  
• The ministers committed to expediting the delivery of the first batch of vaccines to the Indo-Pacific countries and beyond and diversify vaccine basket in keeping with global demand and supply given the progress made under Quad Vaccine Partnership to strengthen Biological E’s manufacturing capacity in India with support from the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).  

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