- Saturday, April 27, 2024
With the British foreign secretary, the Indian external affairs minister discussed besides diplomatic issues, the Test match currently underway between India and England.
By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIAN external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Friday (16) held discussions about bilateral cooperation and significant global and regional matters with prominent leaders, including his counterparts from the US and the UK at a gathering in Germany.
The diplomat met UK foreign secretary David Cameron and US secretary of state Antony Blinken on the sidelines of Munich Security Conference, currently holding its 60th edition and recognized as a premier platform for deliberating on international security issues. He even spoke on cricket with Cameron, a former British prime minister.
Jaishankar was slated to partake in a panel discussion titled ‘Growing the Pie: Seizing Shared Opportunities,’ alongside German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock and Blinken on Saturday (17).
In a post on the social media platform X, Jaishankar mentioned that his conversation with Blinken delved into pivotal bilateral matters and the prevailing situations in West Asia, Ukraine, and the Indo-Pacific region.
Read: G20 presidency success saw India emerging as consensus builder: Jaishankar
“Great to meet my friend US @SecBlinken this afternoon on #MSC2024 sidelines. Our talk centered on the situation in West Asia, Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific. Reviewed the continuing progress in our bilateral ties,” his post said.
Great to meet my friend US @SecBlinken this afternoon on #MSC2024 sidelines.
Our talk centered on the situation in West Asia, Ukraine and Indo-Pacific. Reviewed the continuing progress in our bilateral ties. pic.twitter.com/adZSFKw5By
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 16, 2024
Jaishankar and Blinken were learnt to have deliberated on various aspects of India-US strategic ties as well.
Read: No need to be scared of China, global politics is competitive game: Jaishankar
The Indian minister also held bilateral meetings with Cameraon prior to meeting Blinken and besides ministers from Peru and Bulgaria.
“Started my engagements at #MunichSecurityConference by meeting UK Foreign Secretary @David_Cameron. A good discussion on our bilateral cooperation as well as global and regional issues,” Jaishankar posted on his official X handle along with a photo of the meeting.
“Also exchanged views on the cricket match underway,” the minister said, referring to the ongoing India versus England Test match at Rajkot in Gujarat given the love both the countries share for what is known as ‘Gentlemen’s Game’.
Started my engagements at #MunichSecurityConference by meeting UK Foreign Secretary @David_Cameron.
A good discussion on our bilateral cooperation as well as global and regional issues.
Also exchanged views on the cricket match underway. pic.twitter.com/QpQDXpvsvH
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 16, 2024
Another important meeting was with Josep Borrell Fontelles, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and security policy/vice-president of the EU Commission.
In another post on X, Jaishankar said he was “delighted” to catch up with Fontelles and “exchanged perspectives on the current global situation.”
Jaishankar also welcomed him to India.
The Indian diplomat spoke about “UN reform and our economic cooperation” with his Peruvian counterpart Javier González-Olaechea and “discussed our growing bilateral relationship” with Bulgaria’s deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs Mariya Gabriel.
He also exchanged “views on the Ukraine conflict” with Gabriel and welcomed Bulgaria’s decision to join the International Solar Alliance, floated by India as part of prime minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘One World One Grid’ to increase the use of solar energy in the global effort to combat climate change.
The Indian minister joined his Saudi Arabian counterpart Faisal, Former Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper: Margrethe Vestager, executive vice president of the European Commission for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age and commissioner for Competition and Meghan O’Sullivan, former US deputy national security adviser on Iraq and Afghanistan, for a discussion.
Jaishankar expressed “pleasure” over meeting with his Portugal counterpart Joao Gomes Cravinho in Munich. “Shared views on recent global developments,” he posted on X. He held “a deep discussion” on the Russia-Ukraine conflict with his counterpart from Poland Radoslaw Sikorski.
The diplomat also met his Belgian counterpart, Hadja Lahbib and said on X, “Glad to work with the Belgian Presidency of the EU, as well as in advancing our bilateral ties.
He held a conversation with Friedrich Merz, the Leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party in Germany. “Recognise his strong support for deeper India-Germany and India-EU relations,” he said.
(With PTI inputs)
