Geopolitics

Indo-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue at Washington DC
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Issue Net Edition | Date : 24 Dec , 2019

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, the US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and the US Secretary of Defense Dr Mark Esper during India-US 2+2 dialogue at Washington

The ministerial level Indo-US 2+2 Dialogue was held in Washington DC for the first time on December 20, 2019, the inaugural one having been held at New Delhi during 2018. The present dialogue saw External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh from India and the US side represented by Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo and Secretary of Defnce Mark T Esper. Media referred to this dialogue being held in the shadow of President Donald Trump’s impeachment and reaction to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in India, albeit both these issues are more of a misnomer. To get Trump out of office, the Democrats need 67 votes but only have 47, so it is more of an attempt to reduce Trump’s chances to win the next presidential election. Interestingly, Trump feels that it would conversely boost his chances for a second term.

The CAA was not discussed at the 2+2 Dialogue but EAM Jaishankar shared India’s perspective on the CAA with leadership of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. MEA has also clarified that CAA is India’s internal matter and that the Indian perspective on CAA has been shared with US interlocutors, US Congress with similar outreach to foreign governments, which will continue.

Before the 2+2 Dialogue began, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was provided a ceremonial welcome by his counterpart. Both EAM Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath also called on President Donald Trump in his Oval Office in the White House. At the 2+2 Dialogue, military and security ties took centre stage. Both sides discussed ways to expand their ‘21st century partnership’, welcoming unprecedented levels of mutual military cooperation enabled through enhanced exercises like the tri-service ‘Tiger Triumph’ exercise held for the first time, greater information sharing, expanded defence trade, placement of liaison officers, and defence enabling agreement including the recently concluded Industrial Security Annex (ISA) to promote defence collaboration between private sectors of both countries. It has already been agreed that ‘Tiger Triumph’ exercise henceforth will become an annual feature.

Big ticket defence deals were not discussed though US Defence Secretary Mike Esper expressed satisfaction over the current rate of defence trade (US$ 18 billion annually) and emphasized improved interoperability and better understanding between the two militaries by saying, “it is not just about equipment, hardware, software, what it (greater defence trade) does is it gets to improve interoperability between our two countries and our militaries, a better understanding of the way to work and fight better together if called upon to do so.”

Both sides agreed to not allow happenings in domestic political spheres to distract from deepening the bilateral partnership for addressing global and regional threats, and enhance maritime security under an overreaching commitment to work together in support of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. Ministers from both sides welcomed new initiatives to further strengthen people-to-people ties, new exchange program for parliamentarians and young innovators, expansion of university research partnership, increased judicial cooperation, and a new Science and Technology Agreement.

The joint statement issued on conclusion of the 2+2 Dialogue included: “The Ministers called on Pakistan to take immediate, sustained and irreversible action to ensure that no territory under its control is used for terrorism against other countries in any manner, and to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of cross-border terrorist attacks including 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot. India appreciates US support at the United Nations for terrorist designations, including of JeM’s Masood Azhar, and the United States welcomed changes in Indian law that will facilitate further cooperation on terrorism designations.” Pakistan’s engagement with terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda, ISIS/Daesh, LeT, JeM, Haqqani Network, Hizb-ul Mujahideen (HuM), Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are of concern to both India and the US.

At the joint press conference after the 2+2 Dialogue, Mike Pompeo spoke about:  the growing US-India Strategic Partnership; common values of democracy, freedom, respect for the rule of law as great foundation for mutual expanding partnership; new agreements on space exploration, defense industrial collaboration and new initiatives to help secure internships for innovators, and US support to India’s Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure; progress in trade deal; increase in US crude and LNG exports to India – more than US$ 6 billion over past 24 months; common vision for the region with allies and partners including with Japan and Australia; both countries working towards a stable Afghanistan, and; mutual discussion on China especially risks from China-built communication networks including 5G and China’s unfair and predatory economic activity in the Indo-Pacific presenting a risk to freedom.

Secretary of Defence Esper spoke similarly, emphasizing on: strong defence relationship improving with establishment of the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue since last year;  steps to strengthen mutual robust maritime partnership and expanding military-to-military cooperation to also include  respective armies, air forces, and special operators, and; ISA concluded facilitating collaboration between both defense industries, plus three agreements finalized  under the Defense Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) , which will enhance ability to co-produce and co-develop critical technologies.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke on multiple issues including: discussions on a range of bilateral and global issues, and mutual cooperation being critical to the security and management of the global commons; .achieved important milestones set during the Inaugural 2+2 Dialogue last year including hotline between Indian Defence minister and US Secretary of Defense, undertaking first tri-service exercise,link established between the NHQ and USINDOPACOM, posting an ELO at NAVCENT in Bahrain, enabling most of US-origin platforms in India with secure communications,  and conducting defense policy group dialogue after a prolonged gap of almost four years; signing of ISA before the 2+2 Dialogue; India and US can come together in the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during  the 14th East Asia Summit at Bangkok on  November 4, 2019; mutual discussion on situation in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Indian Ocean region in general, and; India’s interest in expanding scope of the Military Cooperation Group (MCG) by participation of senior officers from CENTCOM, AFRICOM, and Joint Staff from the US side, since geographical area of interest for India’s security is covered by CENTCOM and AFRICOM, and MCG is led by HQ IDS in India.

EAM Jaishankar stated that recent months have witnessed five ministerial-level visits between the two sides apart from institutionalized dialogues and parliamentary exchanges, which demonstrate the intensity of the engagement, with the 2+2 Dialogue taking the partnership to even a higher level. He further emphasized on: discussion to leverage respective strengths to benefit not just the two countries but entire Indo-Pacific region; cooperation to advance free, open, inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific based on the recognition of ASEAN centrality; promoting UN peacekeeping capacity-building of partners in the Indo-Pacific; India  welcomes the US as founding member of the Coalition for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure; appreciate Secretary Pompeo’s remarks on 11th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai attack and discussion on addressing such challenges, including through working closely together with the FATF; mutual cooperation in challenges and evolving practices in adjudicating counterterrorism cases, and further  facilitate exchanges in the areas of criminal jurisprudence; agreement through an MOU on water resources for collaboration in quality assessment of the management of water, and; appreciation of US support for the Chabahar project, which will immensely benefit Afghanistan.

The growing aggressiveness of China has egged the US for greater cooperation with India as also other nations of Indo-Pacific. US Senate recently passing US$700 billion defence act to support Taiwan is in the same context, with the US viewing potential conflict with China over Taiwan in 2020. At the same time, the US views Pakistan merely through the prism of terrorism, with little focus on China’s support to Pakistan in generating terror. Far more significant is Pakistan making itself available as a platform for Chinese operations in the Indo-Pacific, within which the Makran Coast of Pakistan is the Chinese vector for domination of the Straits of Hormuz and challenge the US and allies. Joint China-Pakistan naval drills with live ammunition in northern Arabian Sea Persian Gulf are indicators of future conflict. These are issues that must be discussed by those cooperating for free and fair navigation and interference free global commons.

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The views expressed are of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of the Indian Defence Review.

About the Author

Lt Gen Prakash Katoch

is Former Director General of Information Systems and A Special Forces Veteran, Indian Army.

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