India will engage with all 27 European Union members on Indo-Pacific: S Jaishankar

External Affair Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, during the meeting of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council, has assured that India will engage with all the 27 European Union members on Indo-Pacific. Dr Jaishankar’s remarks came during the panel discussion at Bled Strategic Forum that took place in Slovenia on “Partnership for a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific”.

During the discussion, the External Affair Minister said, India sees to strengthen its relations with the European Union while refuting the Western-Non-Western binary. Slovenia had invited External Affairs Minister to attend an informal meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of European Union Member States. Slovenia currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Dr Jaishankar reached Ljubljana yesterday on the first leg of his three-nation visit to Solvenia, Croatia and Denmark. Earlier in the day, the External Affairs Minister called on President of Slovenia Borut Pahor. They discussed key challenges facing India and European Union.

Dr. Jaishankar appreciated his long-standing support for the India-EU relationship. He also held bilateral meeting with the



Foreign Minister of Slovenia Dr Anze Logar. Both the leaders agreed to deepen the political and economic relationship. Dr. Jaishankar welcomed Slovenia’s Presidency of European Union and expressed confidence that it will take India-EU ties forward. Both Ministers also exchanged views on Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific.During his visit to Croatia today, the External Affairs Minister  will hold bilateral talks with his Croatian counterpart Gordan Grlić Radman.

Dr. Jaishankar will be on a two-day visit to Denmark from tomorrow where he will co-chair the 4th round of the Indo-Danish Joint Commission Meeting with Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod. The meeting will undertake a comprehensive review of the bilateral cooperation under the Green Strategic Partnership, which was established during the Virtual Summit in September last year. The Minister will also call on Danish dignitaries.

The Ministry of External Affairs said, Dr Jaishankar’s visit will provide an opportunity for reviewing the progress in the bilateral ties with the three Central European countries and for strengthening the multi-faceted relationship with the European Union.