• Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Foreign minister Jaishankar interacts with Sweden Indian diaspora: ‘Apprised them of progress…’

Indian external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar interacts with the Indian community during his visit to Stockholm on Sunday, May 14, 2023. (ANI Photo)

By: Shubham Ghosh

India’s external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who is a on a three-day visit to Sweden, on Sunday (14) interacted with the Indian community in the Scandinavian country and highlighted the transformations underway in India during his visit to Stockholm for bilateral talks and the European Union (EU) Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum (EIPMF).

“Delighted to interact with the Indian Community in Sweden. Apprised them of the progress in our bilateral relationship as we mark 75 years of diplomatic ties,” Dr Jaishankar tweeted on Sunday evening.

“Sweden is valued as a member of the EU, a Nordic partner and a fellow multilateralist. Spoke about the transformations underway in India that enhance our global profile and create opportunities for Indians abroad,” he said.

Earlier, the minister held wide-ranging discussions with his Swedish counterpart Tobias Billstrom here and exchanged views on the Indo-Pacific, European strategic situation and de-risking the global economy.

Jaishankar’s visit to Sweden is his first as the external affairs minister.

The trip comes at a time when India and Sweden are celebrating 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations. Sweden currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Jaishankar also met Sweden’s defence minister Pal Jonson for a “useful exchange of views on regional and global security”.

He also met Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson and conveyed greetings on behalf of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.

On Saturday (13), he addressed the EIPMF during which he called for “regular, comprehensive and candid dialogue” between India and the EU that is not just limited to the crisis of the day.

“Globalisation is the overwhelming reality of our times. However, far apart, regions and nations cannot be impervious to significant events elsewhere. Nor can we cherry-pick them to our convenience,” said Jaishankar.

“Indo-Pacific itself is increasingly central to the direction of global politics… The more the European Union and Indo-Pacific deal with each other, the stronger will be the respective appreciation of multipolarity and remember, a multipolar world, which the EU prefers, is feasible only by a multipolar Asia,” he said.

From Sweden, the diplomat will head to Brussels, Belgium, for the first meeting of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council, where he will be joined by India’s commerce and trade minister Piyush Goyal and information technology and communications minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

(With PTI inputs)

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