Jaishankar, Thuringia Minister-President Mario Voigt discuss business, technology cooperation
New Delhi, June 2
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday held talks with Thuringia Minister-President Mario Voigt and his delegation, highlighting the growing momentum in India-Germany and India-European Union ties.
In a post on X, Jaishankar said he was "delighted to meet Minister-President Mario Voigt of Thuringia, Germany, and his delegation," and he welcomed his strong support for expanding relations between India and Germany as well as between India and the European Union.
The post added, "His strong support for expanding India-Germany and India-EU relationships is welcome. We had a good discussion on business opportunities and technology partnerships."
The discussions focused on "business opportunities and technology partnerships."
On the same day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held talks with South African Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile in New Delhi, where both leaders discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in various sectors and agreed to work closely in international forums.
In a post on X, Jaishankar said he was "pleased to meet" Mashatile and appreciated his "strong commitment to deepening our longstanding partnership" between India and South Africa.
According to Jaishankar, the discussions focused on "opportunities in trade, investments, MSMEs, digital and infrastructure domains and both sides "also agreed that India and South Africa must work closely in international forums."
In another post on X, Jaishankar said that India has dispatched the second tranche of 43 tonnes of medical assistance consignment to Africa's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention to bolster response capacities across Africa in the wake of the Ebola outbreak.
Sharing the details in a post on X, the minister said that the assistance comprises protective gear, diagnostic and monitoring equipment, medicines, and supplements.
"Confident that this 43 tons consignment will further strengthen public health preparedness and bolster Ebola response capacities across @_AfricanUnion", he said in a post on X.
Jaishankar also extended greetings to Italy on the occassion of its National Day, expressing confidence in the continued growth of bilateral ties between the two countries.
In a post on X, Jaishankar conveyed his wishes to Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, the Italian government and its people.
The post said, "Warm greetings to DPM & FM Antonio Tajani, the Government and people of Italy on their National Day. Confident that our Special Strategic Partnership will continue to grow from strength to strength."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see India balancing its global diplomatic canvas – from Germany's industrial powerhouse to South Africa's growing economy and even healthcare aid to Africa. But these talks need to result in concrete jobs and tech transfer for Indian youth, not just photo ops.
As someone from Germany originally, this is very promising! Thuringia has strong tech sectors (Carl Zeiss, Jenoptik) and India's digital ecosystem is booming. If we can combine Indian IT talent with German precision manufacturing, it's win-win. Let's hope the political will translates into action quickly.
The medical aid to Africa is the real humanitarian highlight here – 43 tonnes of protective gear and equipment for Ebola response showcases India's soft power and commitment to Global South solidarity. But we must ensure similar vigilance at home for emerging health threats.
It's refreshing to see India's foreign policy not just focused on big powers but actively building bridges across Europe, Africa, and beyond. Jaishankar's approach of 'multi-alignment' seems to be working. Hope this Thuringia partnership leads to more student exchanges and research collaborations.
While global diplomacy is great, I hope MEA also focuses on strengthening border infrastructure and logistics. These trade talks are important but meaningless if we can't ensure security for our own citizens first. Still, good diplomatic energies overall from Jaishankar ji.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.