External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar engaged in discussions with various foreign counterparts during his visit to Manila. He met with New Zealand’s Winston Peters to talk about the Indo-Pacific security situation and maritime cooperation. Additionally, Jaishankar held meetings with Thailand’s Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Canada’s Anita Anand, Singapore’s Vivian Balakrishnan, and Russia’s Sergei Lavrov to strengthen bilateral ties and exchange views on global developments.
During his interactions, Jaishankar emphasized the importance of cooperation between India and these nations. The discussions ranged from enhancing maritime cooperation to addressing concerns about the safety of Indian seafarers in the region. The meetings were part of the Foreign Minister level Meetings under the ASEAN framework, including the ASEAN-India, East Asia Summit (EAS), and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Meetings.
In his meeting with Lavrov, Jaishankar highlighted India’s strong concern for the well-being of Indian seafarers and discussed various aspects of the bilateral partnership. The conversations encompassed trade, investment, energy, connectivity, science, technology, and mobility. They also exchanged views on the Ukraine conflict and the Gulf situation, emphasizing the multifaceted nature of the India-Russia relationship.
