Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will hold the second India-Australia 2+2 Defence and Foreign Ministerial Dialogue with Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Australia Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong in New Delhi on Monday.
During the second 2+2 dialogue, the two sides are expected to discuss a wide range of strategic, defence and security issues. These discussions would cover bilateral, regional and global matters of mutual interest, to further advance cooperation under the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Both sides will also exchange views on shared priorities for strengthening ministerial and multilateral cooperation.
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The Indian defence minister is also scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with his Australian counterpart who had last visited India in June 2022 within a few weeks of assuming his present office.
Jaishankar and Australian Foreign Minister Wong will hold the 14th Foreign Ministerial Framework Dialogue (FMFD) on Tuesday to take stock of cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
The inaugural India-Australia 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue was held on 11 September 2021 in New Delhi pursuant to the elevation of the Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the first Virtual Summit held on 4 June 2020.
The India-Australia dialogue will be held close on the heels of the India-US ‘2+2’ ministerial dialogue held recently. India also holds ministerial dialogue in the ‘2+2″ format with Japan and Russia.