External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his counterparts on Saturday at EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum (EIPMF) during his three-day visit to Sweden where he discussed various issues, including the Indo-Pacific and the Ukraine war. For those discussions, he called upon his counterparts from France, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, and Romania. Jaishankar met Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in Sweden and signed agreements on mobility and migration, reported news agency PTI.
The EAM also met the French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and discussed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to attend the Bastille Day Parade in Paris on July 14 as the Chief Guest. While tweeting about his interaction, the Union Minister wrote, “Glad to meet French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna. Share her enthusiasm for making PM Narendra Modi’s visit to the Bastille Day a success. Exchanged views on the Indo-Pacific and G20."
French President Emmanuel Macron invited PM Modi to attend the Bastille Day Parade. As per the Ministry of External Affairs, a contingent of the Indian armed forces will also participate in the parade along with their French counterparts.
While tweeting about his meeting with his Austrian counterpart, he wrote, “Warm and productive discussions with my friend FM @a_schallenberg of Austria. Signed agreements in Mobility and Migration. Discussed global issues, especially Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific.”
Jaishankar agreed to take bilateral relationship and multilateral cooperation forward in his first meeting with his Belgian counterpart Hadja Lahbib.
He exchanged views with his Bulgarian counterpart Ivan Kondov and discussed the growing bilateral and multilateral ties.
He discussed mobility and tourism with his counterpart from Cyprus Constantinos Kombos.
Jaishankar met Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties amid the Ukraine conflict.
After his meeting with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, he wrote, “A good conversation on bilateral cooperation and Indo-Pacific with FM @GLandsbergis of Lithuania. Also discussed Europe’s perspectives of the world from our vantage points. Agreed to stay in touch.”
Jaishankar also called upon his Romanian counterpart Bogdan Aurescu and thanked him for the facilitation of Operation Ganga viz. an evacuation mission to bring back all the Indian nationals who were stranded in Ukraine. He tweeted, “Caught up with Romanian colleague FM @BogdanAurescu on EU-Indo-Pacific Ministerial sidelines. Thanked him for OperationGanga facilitation. Discussed defense and energy collaboration. Benefited from his perspectives of the region,” he tweeted.
Jaishankar addressed the 6th Indian Ocean Conference on Friday post which he travelled to Sweden.