External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recently held a series of bilateral meetings with his European counterparts on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The meetings covered various topics, including the Ukraine conflict, India-EU trade and investment opportunities, technology, energy, defence, connectivity, and bilateral relations. Jaishankar met with Netherlands Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen, Finland's Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, and Slovenia's Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer during his engagements in New York.
Jaishankar shared details of his meeting with Berendsen, stating that they exchanged views on the Ukraine conflict and followed up on the deliverables from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Netherlands earlier this year. The External Affairs Minister also met with Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen and discussed geopolitical and technology-related challenges, besides bilateral relations and cooperation within the European Union. Jaishankar expressed his pleasure in meeting Valtonen and noted that their bilateral relations and cooperation in the European Union remain strong.
Trade and investment opportunities linked to the India-EU Free Trade Agreement also figured in Jaishankar's meeting with Slovenia's Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer. Jaishankar mentioned that they spoke about emerging trade and investment opportunities as they move towards the actualisation of the India-EU FTA. They also discussed energy, manufacturing, digital, connectivity, defence, and multilateral dimensions of their relationship. These engagements with European partners came as Jaishankar also participated in meetings with countries and groupings from the Caribbean and Pacific regions.
Jaishankar joined the India-CARICOM Foreign Ministers' Meeting in New York, where he highlighted India's solidarity with Caribbean countries, rooted in their shared history and developmental challenges. He noted that committed SME and Quick Impact Projects had been completed in several Caribbean countries and remained ongoing in some. Jaishankar also highlighted India's assistance through limb fitment camps, haemodialysis units, and compact medical BHISHM Cube units provided to some CARICOM partners.
During the meeting, Jaishankar urged CARICOM countries to utilise India-provided training slots and offered customised training programmes in areas of interest. He underlined that India has pushed solarisation in the CARICOM region and requested the members to consider joining the International Solar Alliance and the Global Biofuels Alliance. Jaishankar emphasised that they must further deepen their ties, especially in economic, digital, and mobility domains.
Jaishankar also chaired the India-FIPIC Foreign Ministers' Meeting in New York, where he underlined India's approach towards the Pacific as demand-driven, development-orientated, and people-centric. He highlighted India's development projects in Pacific Island countries and the progress made under the Action Plan announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, spanning healthcare, renewables, connectivity, technology, and capacity building. Jaishankar recognised the challenges posed by El Nino to Pacific Island countries and said India stood ready to help ameliorate its adverse effects.
The meetings formed part of Jaishankar's diplomatic engagements in New York during the UNGA, covering India's ties with European, Caribbean, and Pacific partners across trade, technology, development cooperation, energy, connectivity, defence, and multilateral issues. He is set to address the UNGA on September 26. The External Affairs Minister's engagements demonstrate India's commitment to strengthening its relationships with countries across various regions.
Key points
- Jaishankar holds talks with European counterparts on Ukraine conflict, India-EU FTA, and bilateral ties.
- India pushes for cooperation in solarisation, trade, and investment with CARICOM and Pacific Island countries.
- Jaishankar to address the UNGA on September 26, highlighting India's diplomatic engagements.
