Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar participated in two significant multilateral sessions on the concluding day of the G7 foreign ministers meeting (FMM) in the Niagara region, but the highlight of his visit was the fresh impetus given to bilateral relations with the host country, Canada.
After attending the outreach session on Energy Security and Critical Minerals, he underscored the problems of “unpredictability and market constrictions in global supply”. He called for additional consultations and coordination, which he said would be “helpful”.
“The key however is to translate that on the ground. India is open to working constructively with international partners in this regard,” he added.
At the session on Maritime Security and Prosperity, he highlighted the “imperative of trusted and diversified maritime links” and India’s “efforts in upgrading its shipping infrastructure and developing resilient corridors”. He called on the international community of participants, including the FMs of the G7 and outreach countries, “for better coordination in protecting critical maritime and undersea infrastructure”.
Jaishankar arrived at the venue for the G7 FMM in the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake on Tuesday and completed his engagements on Wednesday afternoon before departing for India.
He met the foreign minister of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha, another outreach invitee, in what Jaishankar later described as a “useful conversation”.
Another meeting on Wednesday was with the European Unions High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas. “Our talks revolved around deepening the India-EU Strategic Partnership and sharing perspectives on the G7 FMM agenda,” Jaishankar posted on X following the meeting.
Also on the list of bilaterals was that Saudi Arabia’s FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan. “Our interaction covered bilateral ties, regional hotspots, connectivity and energy,” Jaishankar said of that interaction.
While Jaishankar’s day began with a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, his bilateral with host Anita Anand, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, marked a new phase in the reset of the relationship. Anand described India as an “important partner for Canada”, while, in a readout of the meeting on Tuesday evening, the country’s foreign ministry, Global Affairs Canada said the third such recent bilateral was “a reflection of momentum in the bilateral relationship”.
