India and US review progress in bilateral ties in defence, security and foreign policy areas

India and the United States held a bilateral 22 Inter-sessional meeting at the official level in virtual mode yesterday. Both sides reviewed the progress and developments in bilateral ties in defence, security, and foreign policy areas since the last 22 Ministerial meeting held on 18th December last year in Washington DC. 

They explored opportunities for enhancing ongoing cooperation in these fields based on mutual interest. They also exchanged views about regional developments and agreed to pursue their quest for a free, open, inclusive, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Indian delegation was led jointly by Joint



Secretary Americas in the Ministry of External Affairs, Vani Rao and Joint Secretary International Cooperation in the Ministry of Defence, Somnath Ghosh. 

The US delegation was led jointly by Senior Bureau Official of the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs in the US Department of State, Dean Thompson and Acting Assistant Secretary for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs in the US Department of Defense, David Helvey. 

The Intersessional meeting mechanism was set up pursuant to the 22 Ministerial. The two sides agreed to continue the discussions in future.