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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar commenced a series of high-level diplomatic engagements on Monday by holding a meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot ahead of major UN deliberations scheduled to start on Tuesday.
Reflecting on the engagement via a post on X, EAM Jaishankar stated, "Our regular meetings and telecons (teleconferences) enable us to maintain the momentum of our Special Global Strategic Partnership." He further added regarding the substantive agenda of the meeting, "Regional and global issues, specifically the Ukraine and Gulf crisis, were discussed [and] also exchanged views on multilateral issues, including the reform of the UN Security Council." The relationship between New Delhi and Paris was previously elevated to a "Special Global Strategic Partnership" during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to India in February for the AI Impact Summit, cementing it as one of India's premier international alignments. A joint framework issued by President Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined a blueprint for future cooperation spanning defence collaborations and joint energy initiatives. Following his meeting with his French counterpart, EAM Jaishankar met Ecuador's Foreign Minister Roberto Kury. Detailing the scope of this meeting on X, he noted that they focused on "strengthening our economic ties, including in energy and pharmaceuticals, mobility, training of personnel, development partnership and cooperation in multilateral fora, including the UN." India has steadily deepened ties with Ecuador as part of its broader diplomatic outreach to the Global South. Bilateral exchanges have seen significant milestones, including specialised training provided to 223 Ecuadorian professionals over the past five years, alongside 813 individuals trained through the India-funded Centre of Excellence in Information Technology established at an Ecuadorian university. Additionally, pharmaceuticals remain a cornerstone of Indian exports to the South American nation. (ANI)
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