Brussels [Belgium], March 17 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar concluded an official visit to Brussels from March 15-16, 2026, at the invitation of European Union High Representative and Vice President Kaja Kallas.
The visit occurred within six weeks of the historic State Visit of EU leaders to India as Guests of Honour for the 77th Republic Day and the successful 16th India-EU Summit, underscoring sustained high-level engagement between India and the EU.
During his visit, Jaishankar met Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and conveyed “warm greetings of President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi” to EU leadership.
Discussions centered on strengthening India-EU ties following the Summit and advancing priorities in the joint India-EU Comprehensive Strategic Agenda, including the early conclusion of a landmark India-EU Free Trade Agreement and consultations on developments in West Asia, Ukraine, and the Indo-Pacific.
Jaishankar participated in an interaction with the EU Foreign Affairs Council chaired by HRVP Kallas, which included foreign ministers of EU member states; Maros Sefcovic, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, also joined the session.
Pointing to “strong momentum following the India-EU Summit in January 2026,” Jaishankar urged efforts to unlock the full potential of the FTA, deepen defence-industrial collaboration, expand maritime cooperation under the Security and Defence partnership, make the Trade and Technology Council a more outcome-driven forum integrated with industry, and advance sustainable development and green energy cooperation.
He emphasized the importance of synergies between India’s relations with the EU and with individual member states—a view echoed by counterparts—while ministers exchanged perspectives on pressing global issues, notably energy security in West Asia, the Ukraine crisis, and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
On the sidelines of the Foreign Affairs Council, Jaishankar held a bilateral meeting with HRVP Kallas. Both leaders reaffirmed their shared ambition to elevate India-EU cooperation to a higher strategic level and agreed to convene the next India-EU Trade and Technology Council and Strategic Dialogue meetings at the earliest.
Jaishankar also held bilateral meetings with foreign ministers from Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, and Slovakia, covering political exchanges, economic ties, defence and security cooperation, critical technologies, the green transition, people-to-people links, and global developments. India and Belgium agreed to establish a Strategic Dialogue at the EAM-FM level.
He engaged with media during the visit. India-EU relations are entering “a phase of renewed strategic momentum,” with intensified engagement to implement “Towards 2030: A Joint India-EU Comprehensive Strategic Agenda”. (ANI)
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