NEW YORK — Steering a dense schedule of high-stakes discussions on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar engaged with global counterparts to advance New Delhi’s strategic, economic, and developmental priorities.
The meetings reflected India’s multi-vector foreign policy—deepening economic and technology ties with European democracies while positioning New Delhi as a premier development partner for small island states across the Caribbean and the Pacific.
Fortifying European Alliances on Trade, Tech, and Security
In his talks with European foreign ministers, Dr. Jaishankar focused on supply chain resilience, defense cooperation, and momentum surrounding the proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) amid shifting global geopolitics.
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Netherlands: Joining Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen, the two ministers followed up on bilateral commitments established during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier official visit to the Netherlands, while exchanging assessments on the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
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Finland: In talks with Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, discussions centered on co-managing technological challenges, safeguarding critical infrastructure, and enhancing India-EU cooperation.
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Slovenia: Meeting Slovenian Foreign Minister Tomaž Kajzer, Dr. Jaishankar highlighted new trade and investment avenues unlocked by the India-EU FTA, alongside joint efforts in manufacturing, defense, digital connectivity, and green energy.
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Andorra: Engaging Foreign Minister Imma Tor Faus, discussions touched on cooperation in artificial intelligence, trade expansion, climate policy, and multilateral alignment.
Expanding the Caribbean Footprint: The India-CARICOM Meeting
At the India-CARICOM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Dr. Jaishankar emphasized India’s historical solidarity with the region, framing New Delhi as an unshakeable partner in sustainable development.
He detailed India’s expanding assistance programs focused on healthcare infrastructure, quick-impact community projects, and renewable energy applications. Looking forward, he called for deeper institutional cooperation across digital public goods, commercial exchanges, and talent mobility.
FIPIC Forum: Elevating Pacific Island Resilience
Chairing the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Dr. Jaishankar reaffirmed New Delhi’s commitment to a demand-driven, people-centric developmental model designed specifically for the Pacific region.
The core outcomes of the FIPIC session included:
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Blue Pacific Vision: Formally supporting the Pacific Islands Forum’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
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Implementation of PM’s Action Plan: Monitoring progress across key deliverables, including healthcare, clean energy transfers, space applications, and vocational training.
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Climate Action & Marine Research: Offering specialized technical help to counter El Niño weather shocks and ocean degradation, while urging Pacific partners to leverage the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
