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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Minister of State Jayant Singh met Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein in New Delhi on Tuesday, as India and the European nation seek to strengthen bilateral ties and expand cooperation across trade, investment, technology and other key sectors.
Union Minister of State Jitin Prasada also met Sabine Monauni, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Environment and Culture of Liechtenstein. Meanwhile, Krishna S Vatsa, Member and Head of Department at the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), held a meeting with Hereditary Prince Alois. The meetings followed discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Hereditary Prince Alois and Hereditary Princess Sophie at Hyderabad House, where the two sides reviewed the India-Liechtenstein partnership and explored opportunities for further cooperation. In a post on X, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the discussions focused on deepening cooperation in trade and investment, innovation, science and technology, skill development and people-to-people ties. The two sides also reaffirmed their commitment to working together to reform and strengthen multilateral institutions, including the United Nations. They welcomed the positive momentum generated by the India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA). During the state visit, Hereditary Prince Alois highlighted the importance Liechtenstein attached to its relationship with India, describing the visit as a historic milestone. He said the implementation of TEPA had provided fresh impetus to bilateral engagement and identified innovation, advanced manufacturing, financial services, education and technology as sectors with significant potential for expanded economic cooperation. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also called on the Hereditary Prince, stating that the bilateral partnership was witnessing strong momentum across a wide range of areas, driven by opportunities created by the India-EFTA agreement. Earlier, the royal couple paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, where they participated in a wreath-laying ceremony and signed the visitors' book. The state visit comes amid growing engagement between India and Liechtenstein following the implementation of the India-EFTA TEPA in 2025, which aims to strengthen trade and economic relations between the partners. (ANI)
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