Jaishankar Holds Bilateral Meetings with Foreign Ministers in New York

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a series of bilateral meetings with his foreign counterparts and other international leaders in New York as part of India’s diplomatic engagements on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly session.Jaishankar met the foreign ministers of France, Ecuador, Slovakia, Hungary and Switzerland, besides holding discussions with Nauru President David Adeang. The meetings focused on strengthening bilateral ties and exploring opportunities for cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

During his meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, Jaishankar discussed the India-France strategic partnership and exchanged views on regional and global developments. Both sides also reviewed areas of cooperation between the two countries. Jaishankar also met Ecuador’s Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld. The discussions covered bilateral relations and opportunities to expand cooperation between India and Ecuador. The two sides exchanged views on issues of common interest.

In another engagement, Jaishankar met Slovakia’s Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár and Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó. The meetings focused on strengthening India’s relations with the two European countries and expanding cooperation across various sectors.

Jaishankar also held talks with Swiss Federal Councillor and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis. The discussions included bilateral cooperation as well as international and regional developments. India and Switzerland have maintained engagement across areas including trade, investment, technology and education. A significant part of Jaishankar’s diplomatic engagements in New York was the first Visegrád Group (V4)-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. The meeting brought together India and the four Visegrád countries — Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

The discussions at the V4-India meeting covered a broad range of areas, including political relations, trade and investment, technology, defence, education and connectivity. The participating countries also exchanged views on developments affecting Europe and the wider international community.

Jaishankar’s meetings formed part of India’s wider diplomatic outreach during the UN General Assembly’s high-level week. The annual gathering provides an opportunity for India to engage with partners from different regions and discuss bilateral as well as global issues. The External Affairs Minister is scheduled to address the 81st UN General Assembly on September 26.