Tokyo: India and the US on Wednesday agreed to further strengthen bilateral ties in support of a free, open, connected and secure Indo-Pacific region.

Senior officials from the Departments of State, Defense and US Departments of Defense and State met here for the 2+2 India-US multi-session meeting. “Reviewed the results of the April 2022 2+2 ministerial dialogue aimed at further strengthening the India-US strategic partnership,” said Foreign Ministry Spokesman Arindam Bagchi.

The aim of the meeting was to deepen the comprehensive global strategic partnership between the US and India. India, the US and several other world powers have spoken about the need to ensure a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific amid increasing Chinese military maneuvers in the resource-rich region. China claims almost all of the disputed South China Sea, while parts of it are claimed by Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea.

On Tuesday, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said at the India Ideas Summit organized by the US-India Business Council that the case for greater India-US cooperation has grown even stronger as the current globalization model is threatened by long-standing trends and by the pandemic, conflict or climate events.

He said with strong political consolation that India and the US are shaping regional and global developments together, including through collaborations such as Quad and I2U2 (India, Israel, UAE and US). “In infrastructure, asset monetization, digital economy, education, health, startups, drones, geospatial, blue economy, green hydrogen, a more energetic and innovative India awaits new partnership prospects,” the minister said.