India, Visegrad Group hold first V4+India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting at UNGA
New York, Sep 23. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar participated in the inaugural V4+India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New York, with India and the four Central European countries exploring ways to expand cooperation in trade, technology, defence, connectivity and other areas.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 21 under Slovakia’s presidency of the Visegrad Group (V4).
Jaishankar met his counterparts Juraj Blanar of Slovakia, Radosław Sikorski of Poland, Petr Macinka of the Czech Republic and Anita Orban of Hungary at the first ministerial-level interaction between India and the four-member grouping.
The ministers discussed ways to strengthen engagement between India and the V4, while recognising the strong bilateral relationships India maintains with each of the four countries. They also explored how the new V4+India format could complement existing bilateral ties and provide additional momentum to cooperation.
Trade and investment, technology and innovation, resilient supply chains, defence and security, connectivity, education, mobility and people-to-people exchanges figured prominently in the discussions.
The ministers also examined possibilities for greater interaction among businesses, academic and research institutions and other stakeholders from India and the V4 countries, with a view to expanding practical cooperation across multiple sectors.
The discussions also covered regional and global developments, including issues related to peace and security and cooperation in multilateral forums. The ministers exchanged views on the need for reform of the multilateral system and the importance of addressing emerging global challenges, particularly those affecting the Global South.
The inaugural meeting marked the establishment of a new Foreign Ministers’-level mechanism between India and the Visegrad Group, comprising the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.
The V4+India framework provides an additional platform for dialogue and cooperation, building on India’s longstanding bilateral relationships with the four Central European countries and creating scope for greater engagement on economic, technological, security and global issues.
