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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has a packed schedule on the margins of the G20 in Atlanta, a source familiar with the developments told ANI.
He arrived on Friday for the two-day Foreign Ministers Meeting, hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Washington says the agenda centres on energy, supply chains and keeping sea lanes open, issues that weigh heavily on Indias oil, LNG and fertiliser imports. Indias Foreign Ministry has said Jaishankar will also attend a Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting and hold bilateral engagements. According to the source, his list covers Europe, Latin America, East Asia and North America, and shows how India is trying to widen its options in an unsettled world. There is no formal bilateral meeting with the United States for now, the source said, as Rubio has only just visited India. A pull-aside between the two is most likely. The Quad meeting brings together India, the US, Japan and Australia, represented in Atlanta by Rubio, Japans Toshimitsu Motegi and Australias Penny Wong. The source said it is likely to focus on maritime security, supply chains and technology. Across the two days, Jaishankar is due to meet Germanys Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, the source said. Berlin is Indias largest trading partner in Europe, and talks are likely to cover trade, defence cooperation and skilled migration. Both sides are also expected to discuss how to make the most of closer India-EU economic ties. The meeting to watch most closely is with Canadas Foreign Minister, Anita Anand. The source said the two countries are actively working to reset a relationship that has been strained in recent years, anchored by renewed high-level visits, trade expansion and institutional cooperation. The focus is expected to be on trade and Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Canada in December. Among the Latin American counterparts, Jaishankar will meet Brazils Foreign Minister, Mauro Vieira, the source said. The two countries are partners in BRICS, and Brazil is a major supplier of agricultural products to India. Talks could cover energy, defence and how to coordinate positions on global governance. He will also meet Argentinas Pablo Quirno, in a meeting driven partly by interest in critical minerals, especially lithium, along with agriculture and energy supplies. India has been looking to the region to secure resources for its energy transition. A third meeting is planned with Mexicos Roberto Velasco, according to the source. Mexico is one of Indias largest trading partners in Latin America, and manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, auto components and supply-chain diversification are the likely themes. Closer to Europes eastern flank, Jaishankar will meet Polands Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Radosaw Sikorski, the source said. Warsaw is a growing economic and strategic partner in Central Europe, and the relationship has gained momentum in recent years. Defence, infrastructure and Indian investment in Poland are expected to feature. In East Asia, he will meet South Koreas Cho Hyun. Seoul is a major investor in India, especially in electronics, automobiles and shipbuilding, and both sides want to deepen technology and manufacturing cooperation, the source said. Taken together, the schedule reflects Indias push to diversify partnerships at a time when trade and energy flows are disrupted, the source said. Each meeting serves a different purpose: technology and defence with Europe and Korea, resources with Argentina and Brazil, and stronger ties with Canada. After Atlanta, Jaishankar will travel to Antigua and Barbuda for Commonwealth talks. (ANI)
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