Postponement of 2+2 dialogue not related to bilateral ties: US

Nikki Haley, US ambassador to the UN, also clarified during an event in the national capital, “Our relationship will mark a new milestone when the US and India conduct the first ever 2+2 dialogue. The delay in that meeting was completely unrelated to India. The time and location are being rescheduled now. It will happen soon.”

The US had Wednesday conveyed to India that it had postponed the dialogue, scheduled to be held in Washington next week, due to “unavoidable reasons”. “Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo spoke last night with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to convey his regret for having to postpone the 2+2 dialogue, which had been scheduled for July 6. This scheduling change was prompted by reasons entirely unrelated to the bilateral relationship,” the embassy said.

Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman were to travel to the US to take part in the meeting with Pompeo and Secretary of Defence James Mattis. The US embassy said that Pompeo and Swaraj agreed to reschedule the dialogue as “soon as possible”.

“The US-India partnership is a major strategic priority for the Trump administration. The US remains firmly committed to a strong relationship with India,” the embassy said.