2+2 Talks Between India And US Scheduled For April 11

April 11: Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin will host Indian Minister of External Affairs Jaishankar and Indian Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh in Washington for the fourth US-India 2+2 ministerial.’

• According to a US State Department statement it is 'a chance to highlight the growing Major Defence Partnership between the United States and India. The relationship between the world’s largest democracies is built on a foundation of common values and resilient democratic institutions, and the shared Indo-Pacific interests of a rules-based international order that safeguards sovereignty and territorial integrity, upholds human rights, and expands regional and global peace and prosperity.’
• The statement doesn’t specifically mention the war in Ukraine, but Austin and Blinken will use the meeting to try to lure India away from Russia’s sphere of influence.
• The US is likely to offer India greater military support in return for committing for a divestment of Russia military hardware and suggest alternatives to Russia oil imports.
• The Economic Times: 'The US stands ready to support India in diversifying its energy imports, the White House has said, reiterating its desire that New Delhi does not purchase oil from Russia amid American sanctions on Moscow for attacking Ukraine.'