US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin would be travelling to India for the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue with their Indian counterparts, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in New Delhi this month, the US State Department has said.
In a statement issued yesterday, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said that Blinken’s visit to India would come at the end of a long trip — from November 2 to November 10 — that would begin with Israel and Jordan, following which he would continue with his Indo-Pacific travels to Japan, South Korea, and India. The exact dates of his trips to these countries have not been announced.
In New Delhi, the US delegation “will meet with Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar, Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh, and other senior Indian officials to discuss both bilateral and global concerns and developments in the Indo-Pacific [region]”, Miller said.
Blinken leaves for Tel Aviv today. “In Israel, Blinken will reiterate US support for Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism, consistent with international humanitarian law, and discuss efforts to safeguard US citizens in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza; work to secure the immediate release of hostages; increase the pace and volume of humanitarian assistance entering Gaza for distribution to Palestinian civilians; and prevent the conflict from spreading,” said the spokesperson.
In Jordan, the US secretary of state will underscore the importance of protecting civilian lives and their shared commitment to facilitating the increased, sustained delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza; the resumption of essential services; and ensuring that Palestinians are not forcibly displaced outside of Gaza.
“[Secretary Blinken] will also discuss urgent mechanisms to stem violence, calm rhetoric, reduce regional tensions, and reaffirm the US commitment to working with partners to set the conditions necessary for a durable and sustainable peace in the Middle East, to include the establishment of a Palestinian state,” said Miller.
The US delegation’s visit to Tokyo, Seoul, and New Delhi would be aimed at advancing “collaborative efforts to support a free and open Indo-Pacific region that is prosperous, secure, connected, and resilient”, according to the statement.
In Tokyo, Blinken will participate in the second G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of 2023, where G7 foreign ministers will build on the commitments made by leaders at the G7 Hiroshima Summit. The US secretary will also have bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko to discuss bilateral priorities, including supporting Ukraine’s economic recovery and energy needs and strengthening their cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, Miller said.
In Seoul, Blinken will meet with President Yoon Suk Yeol, Foreign Minister Park Jin, and National Security Advisor Cho Tae-yong. “The secretary will discuss ways [in which] the United States and the [Republic of Korea] can respond to global challenges, including Russia’s war against Ukraine and Russia’s growing military cooperation with the DPRK [aka North Korea], as well as instability in the Middle East. They will also discuss mutual efforts to support bilateral investment and economic security,” said the spokesperson.