New York [US], September 20 (ANI): As part of his diplomatic meetings in the US, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar participated in a trilateral Ministerial meeting of India-UAE-France with his counterparts and exchanged ideas between the strategic partners. In a tweet, Jaishankar wrote, “A productive first trilateral Ministerial meeting of India-UAE-France. Active exchange of ideas between strategic partners and UNSC members. Thank UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan for hosting France Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and me.”
India and France are maritime nations with dynamic maritime economy sectors like marine technology and scientific research, fisheries, port and shipping, to name a few. Possessing vast exclusive economic zones, their fate is closely linked to the sea and the ocean.
Both nations intend to make the blue economy a driver of the progress of their respective societies while respecting the environment and coastal and marine biodiversity. Both countries aim to contribute to scientific knowledge and ocean conservation and ensure that the ocean remains a global common, a space of freedom and trade, based on the rule of law.
India and France have traditionally close and friendly relations. In 1998, the two countries entered into a Strategic Partnership which is emblematic of their convergence of views on a range of international issues apart from a close and growing bilateral relationship.
India and UAE enjoy strong bonds of friendship based on age-old cultural, religious and economic ties between the two nations. They established diplomatic relations in 1972. While the UAE opened its Embassy in India in 1972, Indian Embassy in UAE was opened in 1973.
The traditionally strong bilateral relations enjoyed by India & UAE have received an impetus with regular exchange of high-level bilateral visits from time to time. The momentum generated by visits at the highest level was sustained by back-to-back reciprocal visits at the level of Foreign Ministers too.
Kicking off a jam-packed diplomatic week in New York, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting, Jaishankar on Monday held an in-person meeting with the Foreign Minister of Indonesia Retno Marsudi.
Jaishankar held a set of bilateral talks with his counterparts in the Balkans, Europe and the Caribbean. Over the course of the week, Jaishankar is scheduled to have more than 50 official engagements including bilateral, plurilateral and multilateral meetings.
After concluding his visit to New York on Saturday, he is scheduled to visit Washington for three days starting Sunday for what the External Affairs Ministry said for “a high-level review of the multifaceted bilateral agenda and strengthen cooperation on regional and global issues to consolidate the India-US strategic partnership further”.
In Washington, Jaishsnkar is expected to meet Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other senior officials of the Biden Administration. A round table focused on science and technology is also on the agenda for Washington. (ANI)
