A US team will be in India in mid-June for talks on the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement. Washington wants New Delhi to agree to this protocol

New Delhi: The Indo-US 2+2 dialogue is likely to see Washington asking New Delhi to make a fundamental choice of whether it wants the US or Russia to be its principal defence partner.

The dialogue, which is now slated for July first week, will have external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a joint conversation with their respective US counterparts on key strategic issues.

Ahead of that meeting, a US team will be in India in mid-June for talks on the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA). Washington wants New Delhi to agree to this protocol so as to enable better interoperability and transfer to sensitive technology.

According those familiar with the thinking in Washington, the US wants India to understand that while it’s willing to part with sophisticated equipment and share technology, it’s concerned that India will be operating these platforms alongside Russian equipment.

The message to New Delhi is that India must choose the country it wants as its principal defence partner. It’s in this context that the proposed Indian deal for S-400 air defence system with Russia has come under the scanner.