The new I2U2 alliance of India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States will hold its first virtual summit in July 2022. According to the White House, the I2U2 group was formed as part of the US government’s efforts to re-energize and revitalise American alliances around the world.
First virtual summit in July 2022 with four countries
The I2U2 grouping will hold its first virtual summit in July 2022, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Israeli Prime Minister Neftali Bennett, and UAE President Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in attendance. The four countries’ leaders will meet to discuss the food security crisis and other areas of cooperation.
From July 13 to July 16, US President Joe Biden will travel to the Middle East, stopping in Israel, the West Bank, and Saudi Arabia. There will also be interactions with a number of counterparts from the region and beyond.
What is I2U2?
I2U2 is a new alliance formed by four countries: India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. The countries share a number of global issues, including the food security crisis and defence, which will be a focus of the four-nation meeting.
I2U2 Grouping: When will be the first I2U2 summit?
The first summit of I2U2 nations will be held in a virtual mode in July 2022 where the four nations will discuss the mutual global and regional issues.
India-Israel-UAE-US grouping
In October 2021, the four nations of India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States met for the first time under a new framework. The group addressed maritime security, infrastructure, digital infrastructure, and transportation issues.
At that time, the Ambassador of UAE to India Ahmed Albanna had referred to the new grouping as the ‘West Asian Quad’.
I2U2 Grouping: Background
When India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited Israel in October 2021, the foreign ministers of the four countries met. The four-nation grouping was known at the time as the ‘International Forum for Economic Cooperation.’ This time, the meeting of the four nations will take place at the level of heads of government/state, which is an advancement.
