EAM Jaishankar participates in ministerials of regional groups furthering ties with India

United Nations, Sep 28 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM), S. Jaishankar participated in the ministerial meetings with three regional groups on Friday to strengthen cooperation with India.

He chaired the meeting of the BIMSTEC, the Bay of Bengal group, and co-chaired meetings with two groups in Latin America and the Caribbean.

He wrote on X the BIMSTEC meeting was held in preparation for the leaders’ summit to be hosted by Thailand and the ministers “took stock of our close cooperation in health, food security, trade, investment, economy, and energy”.

He reiterated “India’s commitment for wider engagement with BIMSTEC in line with ‘Neighbourhood First’, ‘Vision SAGAR’ and ‘Act East Policy’”.

The meeting “focused on improving physical, maritime, and digital connectivity across the region” and “explored opportunities for capacity building, skill development, and improving people-to-people ties,” he posted.

The Ministers are collectively committed to the BIMSTEC Centres of Excellence.

The seven members of BIMSTEC, which is an acronym for Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, is devoted to accelerating economic and social development through technical and educational action.

After co-chairing the India-CARICOM Foreign Ministers meeting with Dominica Foreign Minister Vince Henderson, he said on X that they discussed “upgrading our partnership and deepening cooperation in health, IT, FinTech, capacity building, renewables, and food security”.

“Our bonds with CARICOM draw from past experiences, address current needs, and aspire towards a brighter future,” EAM Jaishankar wrote.

Short for Caribbean Community, CARICOM, has 15 members, at least three of whom, Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad have a substantial Indian diaspora.

EAM Jaishankar co-chaired with Honduras Foreign Minister Enrique Reina the India-CELAC Foreign Ministers Meeting.

The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States has 33 members.

He posted on X, that the agenda included Digital Public Infrastructure, health, clean energy, and capacity building.

The meeting “highlighted possibilities for greater engagement in Artificial Intelligence, e-mobility, space, smart agriculture, and drones,” he said.

“Our political cooperation and deepening economic linkages advance South-South cooperation” and they “have a shared commitment to reformed multilateralism,” he added.

EAM Jaishankar continued his round of meetings with leaders from around the world.

From Central Asia, he met Turkmenistan Deputy Prime Minister Rasit Meredow and Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov of Uzbekistan.

With Meredow, EAM Jaishankar reported on X that they discussed “further expanding our friendly ties”.

He wrote that he valued Saidov’s insights on the region.

The United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and he had “so much to talk about, on our ties and what’s happening in the world,” EAM Jaishankar said on X.

He added that he and Romania’s Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu “took stock of our growing bilateral engagements in tourism, defence and mobility” and “exchanged perspectives on Ukraine”.

Ukraine also figured in the talks with Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, EAM Jaishankar posted on X.

With Netherlands Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, he wrote he had a “very open and positive discussion on strategic issues of the day”.

North Macedonia Foreign Minister Timco Mucunski and he “discussed investment, connectivity and cooperation with the region,” Jaishankar wrote.

The Indian Minister also met with Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

–IANS

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