EAM Jaishankar meets Brunei, Papua New Guinea counterparts, discusses bilateral cooperation, Indo-Pacific priorities
Manila, July 23
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday held separate meetings with his counterparts from Brunei and Papua New Guinea on the sidelines of the ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers' meetings in Manila, discussing bilateral cooperation, technology, development partnerships and regional issues.
Sharing details of his meeting with Brunei's Foreign Minister Prince Abdul Mateen, Jaishankar said in a post on X that he held talks on bilateral cooperation, emerging technologies and strengthening engagement under ASEAN.
The two leaders also discussed opportunities to expand cooperation in areas including artificial intelligence, drones and digital technologies, with a focus on enhancing bilateral ties in line with India's Act East Policy.
"A warm meeting with FM Prince Abdul Mateen of Brunei. Congratulated him on assuming his current responsibilities. Conveyed that rapidly changing technology, including AI, drones, digital, has opened new vistas of engagement. Also agreed to advance bilateral agenda in line with India's Act East Policy and further strengthen our multilateral engagements under ASEAN," the post read.
Jaishankar also met Papua New Guinea Foreign Minister Justin W. Tkatchenko and discussed strengthening bilateral ties, including through the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC).
"Pleasure to meet FM Justin W. Tkatchenko of Papua New Guinea. Spoke about bilateral cooperation, including through the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC). India stands ready to partner with the Pacific Island Countries for their development and capacity-building priorities, while supporting their maritime security," Jaishankar said in a separate post on X.
Jaishankar is on a two-day visit to Manila, during which he attended a series of foreign minister-level meetings, including the ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the ARF meetings.
He also attended the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting, where India, the United States, Japan and Australia where the the four sides reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and support for ASEAN centrality.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Another round of meetings, another set of photo ops. But seriously, what concrete outcomes come from these talks? India's diplomatic outreach is commendable, but we need to see more tangible benefits for common citizens—trade deals, tech transfers, or jobs. 🤔
Interesting that India is pushing AI and drone cooperation with small nations. It's a smart move—positioning India as a tech partner, not just a service hub. The Indo-Pacific priorities align well with Quad commitments too. Good diplomacy!
Love how India is balancing its ASEAN and Pacific Island outreach. Papua New Guinea's FIPIC engagement is crucial for maritime security and development. But I hope these partnerships go beyond lip service—actual projects on the ground matter. 🌏🤝
Jaishankar continues to shine on the global stage! His proactive diplomacy—especially with ASEAN and Quad—is exactly what India needs. The focus on emerging tech like AI and drones shows India is future-ready. 🇮🇳💪
As someone tracking Indo-Pacific dynamics, this is textbook soft power. India offering tech and development partnership to smaller nations is a classic win-win. But China's influence in the region is huge—India must deliver quickly to stay relevant.
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