External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar signed the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The Convention aims to strengthen international cooperation for a safer digital future. Jaishankar expressed his thoughts on the pact via a post on X, highlighting its significance in combating cybercrime.
Jaishankar also held a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on the sidelines of the High-Level Week of the 81st session of the UNGA. The two leaders exchanged views on several ongoing issues and reviewed India-Russia bilateral ties as well as cooperation under BRICS. They discussed ways to further strengthen their partnership.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia shared details of the meeting, stating that Russia's FM Lavrov and External Affairs Minister of India, S Jaishankar, held a meeting on the sidelines of the High-Level Week of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly. The meeting was an opportunity for the two nations to discuss pressing issues.
Jaishankar co-chaired the India-Gulf Cooperation Council Troika Ministerial Meeting in New York on the margins of UNGA81. The meeting reviewed the progress of the India-GCC Joint Action Plan 2024-28 and discussed ways to further strengthen the partnership between the two sides. Jaishankar welcomed the launch of India-GCC Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.
The India-GCC partnership is expected to be further expanded in areas including trade, investment, energy, food security, health, new technologies, culture, and people-to-people exchanges. Jaishankar expressed his enthusiasm for strengthening ties between India and the GCC. The FTA negotiations are expected to boost economic cooperation between the two sides.
On a related note, Jaishankar announced that India and Liberia have launched a group to advocate maritime safety in the face of "unacceptable attacks" on shipping. He highlighted India's concerns over attacks on seafarers and the need for international cooperation to ensure maritime safety.
The launch of the UN Convention against Cybercrime and the India-GCC FTA negotiations demonstrate India's commitment to strengthening global partnerships and addressing pressing issues such as cybercrime and maritime safety. Jaishankar's meetings on the sidelines of UNGA81 reflect India's efforts to engage with the international community and promote cooperation.
Key points
- The UN Convention against Cybercrime aims to strengthen international cooperation for a safer digital future.
- Jaishankar met with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to discuss bilateral ties and cooperation under BRICS.
- India and the GCC have launched FTA negotiations to boost economic cooperation.
