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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday met his Australian counterpart Senator Penny Wong and Philippines Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro during his visit to Manila, holding discussions on strengthening bilateral ties and regional cooperation ahead of the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting (FMM).
Sharing details of his meeting with Wong, Jaishankar said in a post on X, "Great to catch up with FM Senator Penny Wong of Australia. Followed up on the outcomes of PM Narendra Modi's recent visit to Australia. Look forward to interacting with her at the QUAD FMM later today." The External Affairs Minister also held talks with Philippines Foreign Secretary Ma Theresa P Lazaro, focusing on further expanding the India-Philippines Strategic Partnership. "A pleasure to meet FM Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro of Philippines today in Manila. A good discussion on further strengthening our Strategic Partnership, focusing on trade & investment, education, defence & security, maritime cooperation, capacity building, and development cooperation. Also discussed recent developments in the Indo-Pacific," Jaishankar posted on X. Jaishankar is currently in Manila for a two-day visit to participate in Foreign Minister-level meetings under the ASEAN framework, including the ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers' Meeting, East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers' Meeting and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meetings. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that Jaishankar will also participate in the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN-related engagements, along with counterparts from Australia, Japan and the United States. "On the margins of the ASEAN-related meetings, External Affairs Minister will be participating in a Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting with his counterparts from Australia, Japan and the United States. He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from participating countries," the MEA said. Earlier, Jaishankar co-chaired the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with India along with Philippines Foreign Secretary Lazaro in Manila. Highlighting the importance of India-ASEAN ties, Jaishankar said India appreciated the Philippines' role as country coordinator for strengthening the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He noted that the theme of the Philippines' ASEAN Chairship for 2026, "Navigating Our Future, Together", reflects shared values based on mutual trust and cooperation for peace, stability and development in the Indo-Pacific region. During the meeting, Jaishankar highlighted challenges facing the global community, including disruptions to supply chains, energy security, food security, health security and maritime cooperation. He stressed that deeper cooperation among countries was necessary to address global uncertainties and enable diversification and resilience. The External Affairs Minister also underlined that 2026 has been designated as the "ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation", calling it an opportunity to work towards a more stable and secure maritime environment. The MEA said Jaishankar's visit underscores India's deepening engagement with ASEAN under the Act East Policy and reaffirms New Delhi's commitment to strengthening the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The Philippines assumed the ASEAN Chairship for 2026 under the theme "Navigating Our Future, Together", with focus areas including regional peace and security, economic integration, digital transformation, inclusive growth and people empowerment. (ANI)
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