EAM Jaishankar meets Sri Lankan, B'deshi counterparts, EU's Kaja Kallas in Manila
Manila, July 23
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a series of bilateral meetings with foreign leaders on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Manila on Thursday, engaging with counterparts from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, as well as the European Union's top diplomat.
During the engagements, EAM Jaishankar met Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman to discuss matters on the sidelines of the regional forum.
Following the meetings, the External Affairs Minister shared details of the interactions in a post on X, stating, "Glad to meet FM Vijitha Herath of Sri Lanka and FM Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh during the ARF meeting."
Apart from his meetings with the South Asian leaders, Jaishankar also held talks with the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas.
Sharing an update on the meeting, Jaishankar posted on X, "Good to catch up with EU HRVP Kaja Kallas."
Earlier on Wednesday, EAM Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and both leaders agreed to accelerate work on key defence agreements and conclude an interim bilateral trade deal that Washington said is "almost complete", signalling fresh momentum in the strategic partnership between the two countries.
The two leaders met in Manila on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meetings, where they also reviewed developments in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific, according to a US State Department readout.
"Secretary Rubio met today with Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar in Manila. The Secretary and Minister Jaishankar discussed recent developments in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific," State Department Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in the official readout.
The two sides also reviewed progress on defence cooperation.
— IANS
Reader Comments
While the optics are good, I hope these discussions go beyond photo-ops. With Bangladesh facing political turmoil and Sri Lanka still recovering economically, we need concrete outcomes, not just handshakes. The EU meeting is promising though - Europe matters for trade.
Interesting timing - US Secretary Rubio meeting Jaishankar right before this. The focus on defence agreements and trade deal shows the US-India partnership is strengthening. China must be watching these ASEAN sidelines closely. 🤔
Manila seems to be the new hotspot for diplomacy! Jaishankar ji is doing a commendable job balancing our relationships - from neighbours to superpowers. The mention of accelerating defence deals with US is particularly important given the Indo-Pacific dynamics.
Respect to EAM for keeping the neighbourhood first. Meeting Sri Lanka and Bangladesh before the bigger players shows India's commitment to 'Neighbourhood First' policy. But I do hope we're not just talking - need to see tangible benefits for Indian citizens from these deals.
Kaja Kallas meeting is interesting - EU is trying to find its footing in Asia. With the Russia-Ukraine situation ongoing, India's balanced stance makes us a key partner for both East and West. Good strategic positioning by our diplomats! 👍
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.