Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to visit US from April 11 to 14

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will pay a four-day visit to the US beginning April 11 primarily to participate in the fourth edition of the India-US '2+2' ministerial dialogue.

Announcing the visit on Friday, the defence ministry said Singh is also scheduled to travel to the US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) headquarters in Hawaii after his trip to Washington DC.

Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will hold the '2+2' dialogue with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 11 in Washington.

In a statement, the defence ministry said Singh will visit the US between April 11 and 14.

"The 2+2 dialogue will review bilateral cooperation across domains and chart out the way forward," it said.

The ministry said Singh will separately meet US Defence Secretary Austin in the Pentagon to discuss defence cooperation including defence industrial collaboration and capability building through military-to-military engagements. "The defence minister is also scheduled to visit the Headquarters of US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) at Hawaii after his visit to Washington DC," it said.

Arindam Bagchi, Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), had said on Thursday that Jaishankar will visit the US from April 11 to 12.

The unfolding situation in Ukraine is expected to be discussed in the fourth edition of the dialogue.

"The dialogue would enable both sides to undertake a comprehensive review of cross-cutting issues in the India-US bilateral agenda related to foreign policy, defence and security with the objective of providing strategic guidance and vision for further consolidating the relationship," the MEA had said on Thursday.

"The 2+2 Dialogue will also provide an opportunity to exchange views about important regional and global developments and how we can work together to address issues of common interest and concern," it had said.