Valletta, March 28 — India and Malta convened the fourth round of Foreign Office Consultations in Valletta to review bilateral ties and identify areas for deeper cooperation. The talks were co-chaired by Sibi George, Secretary (West), and Christopher Cutajar, Permanent Secretary in Malta’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to a post on X by MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
Delegates discussed expanding collaboration in trade and investment, information and communication technology (ICT), healthcare, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, education, maritime affairs, and people-to-people links. Both sides also explored ways to strengthen economic engagement in light of progress toward an India–EU Free Trade Agreement and exchanged views on regional and global developments of mutual interest. They reiterated their commitment to working together in multilateral forums.
Maritime cooperation was highlighted during the consultations. The Indian Naval sail training ship INS Sudarshini called at Valletta on March 12 as part of the Lokayan‑26 transoceanic expedition, following transit of the Suez Canal and a port visit to Alexandria. Indian High Commissioner to Malta Rachita Bhandari described the visit as emblematic of maritime ties and of India’s MAHASAGAR vision; the ship’s commanding officer met the High Commissioner during the port call.
Separately, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue 2026, including a constructive discussion with Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg on the maritime industry. The consultations underline both countries’ interest in widening cooperation across economic, technological and maritime sectors.
