New York [US], September 24 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a series of bilateral meetings with his European counterparts on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), with discussions covering the Ukraine conflict, India-EU trade and investment opportunities, technology, energy, defence, connectivity and bilateral relations.
Jaishankar met Netherlands Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen, Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen and Slovenia’s Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer during his engagements in New York.
Sharing details of his meeting with Berendsen in a post on X, Jaishankar said, “Appreciate the meeting with Tom Berendsen of Netherlands #UNGA81. Exchanged views on the Ukraine conflict. Also followed up on the deliverables from PM Narendra Modi’s visit to the Netherlands earlier this year.”
The External Affairs Minister also met Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen and discussed geopolitical and technology-related challenges, besides bilateral relations and cooperation within the European Union.
“Pleased to meet FM Elina Valtonen of Finland today #UNGA81. Exchanged notes on current geopolitical and technology challenges. Our bilateral relations and cooperation in the European Union remain strong,” Jaishankar said.
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.
“Great meeting with FM Tone Kajzer of Slovenia. Spoke about the emerging trade & investment opportunities as we move towards the actualisation of the India-EU FTA. Also discussed energy, manufacturing, digital, connectivity, defence and multilateral dimensions of our relationship,” Jaishankar said in a separate post.
The engagements with the European partners came as Jaishankar also participated in meetings with countries and groupings from the Caribbean and Pacific regions.
Earlier, Jaishankar joined the India-CARICOM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New York. In his remarks, 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. He also highlighted India’s assistance through limb fitment camps, haemodialysis units and compact medical BHISHM Cube units provided to some CARICOM partners.
Jaishankar urged CARICOM countries to utilise India-provided training slots and offered customised training programmes in areas of interest.
“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. Emphasised that we must further deepen our ties, especially in economic, digital and mobility domains,” he said in a post on X.
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.
“Our approach to the Pacific has consistently been demand-driven, development-oriented and people-centric. India fully respects and supports the priorities articulated in the Pacific Island Forum’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent,” the EAM added.
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 also recognised the challenges posed by El Niño to Pacific Island countries and said India stood ready to help ameliorate its adverse effects. He highlighted cooperation in space as well as sustainable coastal and ocean research.
He further encouraged members to join the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, under which several projects on climate change, renewable energy and sustainable development are already underway.
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. (ANI)
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