The meeting touched on bilateral cooperation relations and strategic partnership and ways to further develop them to support the three countries’ efforts to achieve economic prosperity and sustainable development, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
India, France and the UAE held a trilateral Ministerial meeting on Monday ahead of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York.
The meeting – attended by foreign ministers Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan of UAE, Dr S. Jaishankar of India and Catherine Colonna of France – touched on bilateral cooperation relations and strategic partnership and ways to further develop them to support the three countries’ efforts to achieve economic prosperity and sustainable development.
The meeting reviewed a number of issues of common interest, including climate change and ways to promote global efforts to combat it, especially with the UAE hosting the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) in 2023.
The meeting covered the developments on the regional and international arenas and the importance of strengthening international cooperation in facing global challenges, including energy and food security.
In a tweet, India’s foreign minister Dr S. 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.
To review the gamut of bilateral strategic partnership between the two nations, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held discussions with the UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and appreciated his insights on the global situation.
In a tweet, Jaishankar wrote, “Always a pleasure to meet FM Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan of UAE. Reviewed the continuing progress of our partnership. Appreciated his assessments and insights on the global situation.”
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)
