2+2 Ministerial Dialogue Meeting

Context:

India-U.S. 2+2 Dialogue Meeting was held on September 6 between the Defence and Foreign Ministers.

Background for the 2+2 Dialogue:

• 2+2 dialogue is a new concept in foreign policy which establishes a dialogue mechanism between two important ministries of two collaborating countries.
• Japan is the pioneer of this format which establishes diplomatic ‘two plus two dialogue’ with US, France, Russia. India and Australia
• India has established the 2+2 dialogue primarily with Japan annually since 2010
• This is the first 2+2 dialogue between India and US where the ministers of defence and external affairs met up to discuss the two countries’ strategic and security interests.
• This two plus two dialogue has replaced earlier India-U.S. Strategic and Commercial Dialogue.

Also read | What is India-US 2+2 dialogue? 

Importance of 2+2 Dialogue:

• The India-U.S. 2+2 Dialogue is aimed for enhancing strategic coordination between both the countries and maintaining peace and stability in Indo-Pacific region.
• Key components covered under the 2+2 Dialogue :
  • Trade issues,
  • Defence agreements,
  • Cooperation on fighting terrorism,
  • Advancing “a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region” and
  • Promoting sustainable “debt-financing” in the region

Major Outcomes of the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue:

1. Trade Issues:

• US. has promised India for framing Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) Section 231 in an appropriate and lawful way.
• US. has also promised to exercise the waiver authority sensibly.
• India is asked to increase imports of American oil and gas as well as aircraft in order to wipe out the trade surplus India enjoys.
• The U.S. has demanded India, to “zero out” oil imports from Iran by November.
• Industrial Security Annex (ISA): It will allow Indian private sector to collaborate with the U.S. defence industry.
• UnderGeneral Security of Military Information Agreement(GSOMIA), sharing of classified information from the U.S. government and American companies with India and defence Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) has been agreed.
• A Memorandum of Intent was signed between the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU).
• The Innovation for Defence Excellence (DIO-iDEX) will be assigned to look into joint projects for co-production and co-development projects through the Defense Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI).

1. Defence Agreements:

• The Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA):
• With COMCASA, India has now concluded three of the four foundational agreements with U.S.

1. a) General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) in 2002
2. b) The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016 and
3. c) The Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) in 2018.
4. d) The Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for (BECA) (yet to be negotiated)

• COMCASA is an India-specific version of CISMOA.
• It will come into force immediately and will be valid for 10 years.
• Significance of COMCASA:
  • Indian forces will get the U.S. military platforms.
  • Indian military will get a better picture of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
  • It will help India to get in the top tier of countries entitled to U.S.’s Strategic Trade Authorization (STA-1).
  • India and US has decided to exchange personnel for coordination and understanding.
  • As a consequence of CISMOA, India will get access to Combined Enterprise Regional Information Exchange System or CENTRIXS.

2) Combined Enterprise Regional Information Exchange System (CENTRIXS)

• It is a secure communication system network of the US consists of a collection of coalition wide area networks (WAN) known as enclaves
• It will help Indian Navy to communicate securely with the U.S. Navy when needed.
• India will have a wider situational picture of the IOR with the help of US Navy Ships.
• India can reduce the stress on its assets and prioritise its deployments more efficiently.
• It will allow operational dialogue between the nations in text and web-based formats.

3) Tri-Service Joint Exercise: India and the U.S. will also hold a first-ever tri service joint exercise on the east coast of India in 2019.

1. c) Cooperation on fighting terrorism:

• Both India and US called on Pakistan to stop terrorist strikes on ‘other countries’
• Ahead of the 2+2 dialogue, the US froze assets of three Pakistanis linked with the LeT, indicating its willingness to act against the group.
• S. state department has included Abdul Rehman al-Dakhil to its list of ‘specially designated global terrorists’.
• Shared commitment to a united, sovereign, democratic and peaceful Afghanistan in support for an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace process.

1. d) Advancing “a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region”:

• The common principles for the Indo-Pacific region were articulated in the India-US Joint Statement of June 2017.
• The U.S. President Donald Trump at Danang, Vietnam on 10 November, 2017, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Singapore at the Shangri-La Dialogue on 1 June, 2018 amplified further commitment in cooperation for in the Indo-Pacific region.
• India and the US, in the 2+2 Dialogue meeting, in an indirect reference to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, announced that they will seek partnership with other countries for a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
• Maritime freedom in the Indo-Pacific region was also urged in the dialogue.

1. e) Promoting sustainable “debt-financing” in the region:

• Both the countries emphasized the need to work collectively with other partner countries to support transparent, responsible and sustainable debt financing practices in infrastructure development.
• The long-term goal of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its opaque financing model are pushing countries into the Chinese debt trap.

Issues and Concerns of India for the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue:

• The Dialogue should provision for mutual cooperation without any pressure such that it should not be benefited singularly as a one-sided affair.
• No clear-cut assurance of the GSP (Generalized System of Preferences) status being restored, or of waivers on steel and aluminium tariffs imposed by U.S.
• India is asked to increase imports of American oil and gas as well as aircraft in order to wipe out the trade surplus India enjoys.
• The U.S.’s demand, to “zero out” oil imports from Iran by November would impact India Iran relation along with energy security
• No public statement was made by the U.S. on India’s investment in the Chabahar port, as Iran is ready to hand over the operational responsibility of a part of the port to an Indian entity as per the agreed timeframe.
• S. also did not clear any waiver to India purchasing Russian hardware, beginning with the S-400 missile system.
• COMCASA may apply end-use monitoring and reconfiguration restrictions on India like that of South Korea.

Way Forward:

• 2+2 summit will help to develop ‘engage relationship’ between India and US which has seen lots of up and down in recent times
• but the India-U.S. relationship shouldn’t be allowed to define India’s geopolitical character, strategic future or the limits of its other bilateral relationships.
• India must keep its options open and be multi-aligned, even as the U.S. forms a key part in that scheme of things.
• Positives of current 2+2 dialogue can be carried forward to other areas such as finance and agriculture.
• Although China has reacted on the 2+2 Dialogue as only of a symbolic significance, and unlikely to yield a structural change in regional security layout and strategic balance. India and the U.S. can take a positive leap from the Dialogue and achieve the regional peace and prosperity on a large extent.