New York: The visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India has cast uncertainty on the date of a ministerial meeting between India and the United States. Because of Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India, the scheduling of the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue of India's top diplomats and defence officials, which was set to take place early next month, is now in doubt.

When asked if the annual meeting has been moved back to January 2022, State Department spokesperson Ned Price stated at his briefing in Washington on Tuesday: "We've never given a specific date for the 2+2... I can tell you that a 2+2 opportunity will arise sooner or later." The 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue with India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, as well as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austen, will take place in Washington.

Putin, together with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu, is due to visit India early next month, and media sources claim that India and Russia plan to launch their version of 2+2 ministerial sessions at that time.

Whether or not the 2+2 takes place, the two Indian ministers would be obliged to be in India during Putin's visit, narrowing the window for convening the ministerial discussion with the US as the Christmas season approaches in the US.

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