Raveesh Kumar on 2+2 Ministerial Meeting: India-US Agreed To Strengthen Cooperation in Defense Sector: On the two plus two talks between India and the US on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ravish Kumar said that the meeting was very profitable and positive. Before the meeting began, the Defense Minister and the Foreign Minister held a bilateral meeting with their counterparts. He also met US President Donald Trump.


He said the four ministers pledged that we will work together to realize the full potential of the Indo-US strategic global partnership.

The Ministers called on Pakistan to take immediate action to ensure that no territory under its control is used for terrorism against other countries in any manner, & to arrest and prosecute perpetrators of cross-border terrorist attacks, including 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot. https://t.co/0tYwhF2o4W Advertisement — ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2019

On the issue of the Citizenship Amendment Bill raised by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during the Two Plus Two Ministerial meeting in Washington DC, Ravish Kumar said, “The Ministry of External Affairs did not discuss this issue in India’s internal affairs in the Two Plus Two meeting.” He said that I am not aware of the specifics discussed in the meeting by the Foreign Minister with the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. But our perspective on the Citizenship Amendment Act has been shared with US negotiators, including the US Congress.

Ravish Kumar said, we have highlighted the points which we have repeatedly said in Parliament and later by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. I can only say that the Foreign Minister has shared our perspective on the issue of the Citizenship Amendment Act in a meeting with members of the US Congress.

India-US agreed to strengthen cooperation in the defense sector:

In the two plus two talks between India and the US, the two countries have agreed to increase bilateral cooperation, increase defense trade, increase coordination with countries with common understanding for the Indo-Pacific region, and a decisive fight against terrorism. In the talks, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Minister Mark Asper gave Indian counterparts, Foreign Minister S.K. Jaishankar and met Defense Minister Rajnath Singh.

An Industrial Security Agreement was also signed during this negotiation which allows the transfer of defense technology. After the second two plus two talks between the two countries, Foreign Minister Pompeo said, “Today’s talks are based on the progress made last year, in which we have made new agreements in areas like space exploration, defense, and industrial coordination.” It has also been agreed to establish a new exchange program for MPs from both countries.

Read More: Impeachment Proposal Passed: Will US President Donald Trump Have To Resign?

“We support India’s coalition for disaster-resistant infrastructure,” Pompeo said. After the talks, US Defense Minister Mark Asper said that our defense trade and technology relationship with India is growing. He said, “Today we are proud to finalize the Industrial Security Agreement (ISA) which allows for cooperation between our defense industries.

America supports India on Kashmir Issue:

After the conclusion of the two plus two ministerial talks, a senior US State Department official was asked if any specific assurance was sought from India or a deadline has been set about restoring mobile internet service in Kashmir? So he said, “This is not a relationship where an ultimatum is given.” This is a country, such a democracy, where these policies are voted on, debated, judiciary reviewed. So I will not use this kind of language. ”In this way also indirectly, America supported India on the Kashmir issue.