United Nations, September 23 – India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, participated in meetings of the Quad and IBSA on the sidelines of the high-level General Assembly gathering at the United Nations.
Commencing his engagements on the fourth day of the meeting, Minister Jaishankar attended the ministerial meeting of the Quad, a strategic coalition comprising India, the United States, Japan, and Australia. Subsequently, he participated in the IBSA meeting, which unites India, Brazil, and South Africa.
During his visit, Jaishankar held bilateral meetings with several foreign counterparts, including Tariq Mahmood Ahmad from the British Foreign Office, Foreign Ministers Penny Wong of Australia, Yoko Kamikawa of Japan, and Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani of Bahrain.
The Quad meeting, also attended by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, emphasized their unwavering commitment to combat terrorism and maintain a free and uncoerced Indo-Pacific. Additionally, they pledged to collaborate on development initiatives in the region.
The IBSA meeting, attended by Foreign Ministers Mauro Vieira of Brazil and Naledi Pandor of South Africa, centered on strengthening tri-continental cooperation among the three nations.
Minister Jaishankar shared his thoughts on social media platform X, highlighting the strength of South-South solidarity demonstrated in their joint statement following the IBSA meeting.
After his meeting with Ahmad, Jaishankar discussed recent developments concerning Ukraine and assessed bilateral relations in a post on X.
In a separate X post, Jaishankar exchanged perspectives on the Special Strategic and Global Partnership with Kamikawa, addressing regional, multilateral, and global cooperation.
His meeting with Zayani focused on connectivity, economic linkages, and regional dynamics, as revealed in another X post.
Wong, in her X post after the meeting, mentioned discussions on regional security and various bilateral issues, including economic engagement, between India and Australia.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was notably absent from the high-level meeting, with Minister Jaishankar scheduled to represent India at the General Assembly on September 26.