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Agencies:

India & U.S explore pacts on technology; soft power; defence for 2+2 meet

New Delhi
October 14, 2020

India and the United States discussed concluding pacts on technology, people-to-people contact and parliamentary exchanges, besides the basic exchange and co-operation Agreement (BECA) for geospatial co-operation and aligning positions on security matters during the forthcoming �2 plus 2� talks between the foreign ministers and defence ministers of the two countries in Delhi on October 26-27.

These prospective deliverables were discussed when the visiting U.S Deputy Secretary of state Stephen Biegun held wide ranging consultations with foreign secretary Harsh V Shringla on Tuesday, said people aware of the matter.

The two senior officials also discussed the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), said the people. While the U.S highlighted its position on China, India explained engagements with China to end the impasse, they said.

Biegun also met the foreign minister and the national security adviser. He is expected to meet the Defence Secretary on Wednesday before flying off to Bangladesh.

Shringla and Biegun are also understood to have discussed the Bangladesh situation. Shringla emphasised the need to align positions on India�s eastern neighbour due to the geo-political significance of the country in the Bay of Bengal, according to those in the know.

October has witnessed a series of engagements between India and the U.S, beginning with the Quadrilateral in Tokyo, followed by Biegun�s trip and the 2 + 2 meet later this month.

On Monday, Biegun had pitched for �vision of Pax Indo-Pacific�, describing it as a �region at peace, protected and made prosperous in equal measure by those who comprise the Indo-Pacific�.

Describing the India-U.S relationship as a forward looking approach, the foreign secretary said that renewables, materials, biotech, space, cyber, artificial intelligence, quantum computing and water were just some of the new drivers of this relationship.

�I have had the privilege of working directly on this relationship in Washington DC,� said Shringla. �I can attest to the fact that our companies are investing more in each other�s markets, our universities teach and research more with each other, our Defence and Security establishments work closely together, our innovators solve problems together, our healthcare systems are developing convergences and our counter terrorism and law enforcement officials support each other.�