US postpones '2+2 dialogue' with India due to 'unavoidable reasons': MEA

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugs U.S. President Donald Trump as they give joint statements in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., June 26, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque - RTS18QSB

The US today conveyed to India that it has postponed the first '2+2 dialogue' between the two sides due to "unavoidable reasons" and expressed regret.

The India-US '2+2 dialogue' was to be held on July 6, and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman were to travel to the US to take part in the meeting with US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo and Secretary of Defence James Mattis.

Secretary of State Pompeo spoke with Swaraj and expressed his "regret and deep disappointment" at the US having to postpone the 2+2 dialogue for "unavoidable reasons", Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

"US @SecPompeo sought EAM @SushmaSwaraj understanding, and they agreed to identify new mutually convenient dates to hold the Dialogue at the earliest, in India or the US," he tweeted.