NEW DELHI: As he embarks on a six-day visit to the US, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said he will travel to the headquarters of the US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) in Hawai as part of the trip.
The INDOPACOM is the oldest and largest combatant command of the US that is responsible for American military activities in the Indo-Pacific, a region that has been witnessing growing Chinese military muscle-flexing.
Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are travelling to the US to hold the fourth edition of the '2+2' dialogue with US Defence Secretary Llyod Austin and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on April 11 in Washington.
The defence minister also said that he was looking forward to "fruitful" interactions during the visit to the US.
"I would be leaving New Delhi tonight for a visit to the United States from April 10 to April 15. I look forward to attend the Fourth India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in Washington DC. Also, I shall be visiting INDOPACOM headquarters in Hawai, during this visit," Singh tweeted.
Commander of the INDOPACOM Admiral John Aquilino visited India in August last year during which he held wide-ranging talks with the top military brass of the country on enhancing bilateral military cooperation.
"The visit to the United States will give me an opportunity to hold talks with @SecDef and @SecBlinken alongside @DrSJaishankar on ways to deepen the India-US strategic partnership. Looking forward to fruitful interactions during the visit," Singh said.
Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), 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," he had said at a media briefing.
"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," he said.