NEW DELHI: The Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) starts in New Delhi on May 31. It is a ‘Track One’ diplomacy held every year by a think tank called IISS (International Institute for Strategic Studies). The Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) is attended by defense ministers, permanent heads of ministries and military chiefs of 28 Asia-Pacific states.

The forum derives its name from the Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore where its first meeting took place in 2002. The summit cultivates a community feeling among the global policymakers in areas of defense and security.  Government delegations make best use of The Shangri-La Dialogue as they also hold bilateral meeting with other delegations on the sidelines of the conference. Besides having inter-governmental meeting, The Shangri-La Dialogue summit is also attended by legislators, academic experts, distinguished journalists and business delegates.

After attending the Shangri-La Dialogue in New Delhi from May 31 to June 2, Clarke Cooper, Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, will hold talks on defense cooperation and peacekeeping in US-India partnership as a long term strategy in Indo-Pacific region. (Agencies)