New Delhi: Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said India was entering what he described as a “decisive phase” in negotiations with the European Union over a free trade deal, and stressed the importance of support from key EU members, including the Netherlands.
“We also count on your support as we move towards what I hope will be a decisive phase in our negotiations with the European Union on the free trade agreement,” Jaishankar said during his meeting with Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel.
Jaishankar said India highly values its relationship with the Netherlands, both bilaterally and in its role in the European Union. “We greatly value our relationship with the Netherlands, bilaterally and as a key player in the European Union,” he said.
He noted that cooperation between the two countries has expanded in recent months, with several agreements adding new dimensions to the relationship. “A number of important agreements have been reached over the past few months, which have added more dimensions to our cooperation,” Jaishankar said, adding that there was further potential to deepen engagement. “It is possible to raise the ambition of our relationship,” he said.
The Foreign Minister also said he was interested in hearing the Netherlands’ views on major global and regional developments. “Of course, I would also like to know your views on global and regional issues,” he said.
Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel in his speech highlighted the need for like-minded democracies to work more closely in a changing global geopolitical context.
“In these turbulent times when geopolitics are evolving, countries like us, which adhere to democracy, the rules-based international order and free trade, must stick together and step up cooperation to stand the test of time,” van Weel said.
He welcomed progress in bilateral engagement, particularly in the areas of security, defense and emerging technologies. “I am really happy that we can reach a letter of intent to work more together in the field of security and defense, but also in the field of new technologies,” he said.
Highlighting the alignment between the two countries despite the differences in size, the Dutch minister said: “We are two countries of completely different geographical sizes, but I think psychologically and mentally we are very aligned and happy to work on this relationship.
Earlier in the day, Jaishankar interacted with members of all-party parliamentary delegations who recently represented India at the United Nations General Assembly and lauded their role in presenting India’s views on key global issues.
“I am happy to interact today with members of the all-party parliamentary delegations who recently represented India at the @UNGeneralAssembly,” Jaishankar wrote on X.
He said the meeting provided an opportunity to hear directly from parliamentarians about their commitments and experiences during sessions of the United Nations General Assembly. “I listened to their experiences and appreciated their feedback,” he said.
Jaishankar also thanked the members of the delegations for expressing India’s position on international platforms. “Thank them for effectively communicating India’s position on the global stage,” he said. (ANI)
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