US, India agree on two-by-two ministerial dialogue

NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have agreed to enhance peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region by establishing a new two-by-two ministerial dialogue, which would elevate their strategic consultations, the White House said on Wednesday. Trump spoke with Modi on August 15 to greet him on the eve of Indian Independence Day, the Indian Express reported.

During the phone call, Trump welcomed the first-ever shipment of American crude oil to India, which will begin this month from Texas. He pledged that the US would continue to be a reliable and long-term supplier of energy to India, the White House said in a readout of the phone call between the two leaders.

"The leaders resolved to enhance peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific region by establishing a new two-by-two ministerial dialogue that will elevate their strategic consultations," the White House said, without giving details of the mechanism. As the leaders of two of the world’s largest and fastest-growing major economies, Trump and Modi looked forward to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in India this November, the White House said, adding that Trump has asked his daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump to lead the US summit delegation.

"Prime Minister Modi thanked President Trump for his strong leadership uniting the world against the North Korean menace," it added. Trump had recently warned North Korea that it would face "fire and fury" if it attacked the United States, while the North threatened to test-fire its missiles over Japan and towards the US Pacific island of Guam.