Last Updated: November 02, 2023, 07:35 IST
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
During his Asia leg of the visit, Blinken will advance collaborative efforts to support a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (Reuters File Photo)
Blinken’s India visit will come after his trip to Israel, which has been pounding Hamas after the militants launched a massive October 7 assault inside Israel
US State Secretary Antony Blinken is set to visit India next week for the annual 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue to discuss both bilateral and global concerns and ongoing developments in the Indo-Pacific region. This visit will take place after a trip to Japan, South Korea and his latest crisis visit to the Middle East amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
During his visit to New Delhi, Blinken will be accompanied by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and they will meet with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with other senior Indian officials.
“The Secretary will then travel to New Delhi to participate in the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, joined by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III. The delegation will meet with Minister for External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh, and other senior Indian officials to discuss both bilateral and global concerns and developments in the Indo-Pacific,” the State Department said in a press note.
On Thursday, the State Department said, during his Asia leg of the visit, Blinken will “advance collaborative efforts to support a free and open Indo-Pacific region that is prosperous, secure, connected and resilient.
The trip will come after Blinken’s latest trip on Friday to Israel, which has been pounding Hamas after the militants launched a massive October 7 assault inside Israel. Blinken will also travel to Jordan, the second Arab state to make peace with the Jewish state, which on Wednesday withdrew its envoy from its neighbour in protest over the war.
The State Department said Blinken will meet in Japan with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and later in Seoul with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. South Korea previously announced Blinken’s stop in Seoul at which he is set to discuss long-simmering tensions with nuclear North Korea.
