The India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue on Friday is set to focus on bilateral cooperation in areas such as defence & security and technology value chain as well as pressing global matters, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will co-chair the dialogue with their counterparts, US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin III, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

Jaishankar and Singh will also hold bilateral talks with Blinken and Austin, respectively.

Earlier this week, a US State Department official indicated that there would be serious discussions on the Israel-Ukraine war at the 2+2 Ministerial meeting as both India and the US shared the goal of preventing the spread of the current conflict in the Middle East.

The Indo-Pacific region, China’s influence, the long-drawn Russia- Ukraine war and its global impact are likely to be other important areas of discussion, per sources.

When asked whether India’s ongoing diplomatic standoff with Canada will feature in the talks, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India was open to discussing most issues.

Blinken, who arrived in New Delhi late Thursday night, is expected to depart on Friday evening, per the MEA.