New Delhi, April 10 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden will hold a virtual meeting on Monday, ahead of the Fourth 2+2 meeting between their foreign and defence ministers in Washington. During the meeting, the two Leaders will review ongoing bilateral cooperation and exchange views on recent developments in South Asia, the Indo-Pacific region and global issues of mutual interest. The virtual meeting will enable both sides to continue their regular and high-level engagement aimed at further strengthening the bilateral Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, an official statement said on Sunday. The Leaders’ virtual interaction will precede the fourth India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue which will be led by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar on the Indian side and their US counterparts, Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. A White House readout of the talks, said that President Biden will meet virtually with Prime Minister Modi “to further deepen ties between our governments, economies, and our people”. The two leaders will discuss cooperation on a range of issues including ending the COVID-19 pandemic, countering the climate crisis, strengthening the global economy, and upholding a free, open, rules-based international order to bolster security, democracy, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. They will advance ongoing conversations about the development of an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and delivering high-quality infrastructure. “President Biden will continue our close consultations on the consequences of Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine and mitigating its destabilizing impact on global food supply and commodity markets”. Biden last spoke to Prime Minister Modi with other Quad Leaders in March. RN
