India, US postpone 2+2 meeting

NEW DELHI: India and US have pushed back next month’s scheduled 2+2 meeting of foreign and defence ministers until after the new US secretary of state

Mike Pompeo

completes his senate confirmation also likely by mid-April.


After the first visit by foreign secretary

Vijay Gokhale

to Washington this week, the two sides are looking at a summer meeting now.

India and US have improved their convergence on defence, security and other strategic issues, but with the US threatening a tariff conflict, the economic relationship is headed for a rocky patch.

Among the key interlocutors for Gokhale in Washington was

Robert Lighthizer

, US trade representative who has taken a tough line on trade measures against various countries, India included. Gokhale held talks with his counterpart,

Tom Shannon

, and met Congress and administration functionaries during his visit.

India and US are also scheduled to hold their maritime security dialogue in Goa in May. But with a lot of personnel and political changes in Washington, this too could get delayed.