India-Australia inaugurate 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue

·         India and Australia are holding their first 2+2 ministerial talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

·         The high-level foreign and defense ministerial talks will advance overall defense and strategic cooperation between the two countries, including Indo-Pacific cooperation amid China's growing military assertiveness in the region.

·         In the inaugural 'two-plus-two' talks, the Indian delegation is being led by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh along with their Australian counterparts Maris Payne and Peter Dutton respectively.

·         India has had 2-2 ministerial meetings with very few countries including USA and Japan.

Important Facts

About Australia

v  Prime minister: Scott Morrison

v  Capital: Canberra

v  Currency: Australian dollar