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Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
In Belgium, Jaishankar, Prevot discuss India's new approach to combat terror
NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Belgian counterpart Maxime Prevot on Monday discussed India's new approach to combating terrorism and bilateral cooperation in areas such as trade, investment and security. Belgium is the first stop in Jaishankar's week-long visit to Europe, a month after India carried out military strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack. Jaishankar welcomed 'Belgium's support and solidarity in combating terrorism', he said in a social media post after his talks with Prevot. 'Also held wide-ranging discussions on deepening our cooperation including in trade, investment, technology, defence & security, pharmaceuticals, clean energy and mobility,' he said. Jaishankar also appreciated the 'strong momentum of our bilateral engagement and the India-EU partnership'. This is Jaishankar's second visit to Europe since India's clashes with Pakistan in May. He had earlier travelled to Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands in May to brief India's interlocutors on the new approach to fighting terrorism and Pakistan's support for cross-border terror. India and Belgium have friendly ties and a robust economic partnership, the external affairs ministry said ahead of Jaishankar's visit. Collaboration between the two countries spans domains such as trade and investment, green energy, technology, pharmaceuticals and the diamond sector. During the visit, Jaishankar will also hold talks with leaders of the European Union and France to boost bilateral ties and emphasise India's zero-tolerance policy for terrorism. During his stay in Brussels, Jaishankar will hold the first ministerial strategic dialogue with the European Union (EU) foreign policy and security chief, Kaja Kallas. The India-EU strategic partnership has strengthened over the years across diverse sectors and got a boost with the first visit of the EU College of Commissioners to India in February. Jaishankar will engage with the senior leadership of the European Commission and the European Parliament, besides interacting with think tanks. In France, Jaishankar will hold bilateral talks with his counterpart Jean Noel Barrot. He will also participate in the inaugural edition of the Mediterranean Raisina Dialogue to be held in the port city of Marseille.
India.com
14 hours ago
- Business
- India.com
In Brussels, EAM Jaishankar Welcomes Belgium's Support In Combatting Terrorism
BRUSSELS: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Monday held discussions with Maxime Prevot, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, welcoming the country's support and solidarity in combatting terrorism. During the bilateral talks, the EAM lauded the warm and friendly relations between the two countries, also reflected in very robust economic partnership. "Pleased to meet DPM and FM Maxime Prevot at the start of my visit to Belgium. Welcomed Belgium's support and solidarity in combatting terrorism. Appreciated the strong momentum of our bilateral engagement and the India-EU partnership. Also held wide-ranging discussions on deepening our cooperation including in trade, investment, technology, defence and security, pharmaceuticals, clean energy and mobility," Jaishankar posted on X after the meeting. Pleased to meet DPM & FM @prevotmaxime at the start of my visit to Belgium. Welcomed Belgium's support and solidarity in combatting terrorism. Appreciated the strong momentum of our bilateral engagement and the India - EU partnership. Also held wide - ranging discussions on… — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 9, 2025 The External Affairs Minister is on an official visit to France, EU and Belgium from June 8 to 14 to further deepen India's friendly relations and give renewed momentum to ongoing cooperation in diverse areas. India-Belgium collaboration currently spans various domains like trade and investment, green energy, technology, pharmaceutical, diamond sector and strong people-to-people ties. During his visit to Belgium, the EAM would also meet the senior leadership of Belgium besides interacting with the members of the Indian community. "India-European Union strategic partnership has strengthened over the years across diverse sectors and got a big boost with the first-ever visit of the EU College of Commissioners to India in February this year. During the visit, EAM will be holding a Strategic Dialogue with the EU High Representative and Vice President Kaja Kallas, and will engage with the senior leadership from the European Commission and the European Parliament, besides interacting with think tank and media," read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on EAM's visit. During this visit, EAM Jaishankar would also travel to Paris and Marseille where he would be holding bilateral discussions with his counterpart Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Jean Noel Barrot. He is scheduled to participate in the inaugural edition of the Mediterranean Raisina Dialogue which is being held in the city of Marseille. "India and France have completed 25 years of strategic partnership. Our relations with France are rooted in deep trust and commitment, and our two countries cooperate closely across all domains of strategic and contemporary relevance besides sharing similar outlook on many regional and global issues. He will also engage with the senior leadership of France, and interact with think tanks and media," the MEA detailed.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Jaishankar to step up diplomatic push on visit to France, Belgium
On his third visit to Europe in the past few months, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar left on Sunday (June 8, 2025) for a week-long visit to France and Belgium. He is expected to meet with his counterparts in both governments, and in the European Commission and European Parliament in Brussels. This visit is part of the government's efforts to step up its diplomatic engagement post Operation Sindoor to garner support for India's fight against terrorism. 'The visit of EAM is expected to further deepen India's friendly relations with the European Union, France and Belgium and give renewed momentum to ongoing cooperation in diverse areas,' the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, announcing the visit from June 8 to 14. In March, Mr. Jaishankar had travelled to the U.K. and Ireland, and in May, he had visited the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany. In France, Mr. Jaishankar is scheduled to visit Paris for bilateral talks with French Foreign Minister Jean Noel Barrot, and to Marseille to address the 'Mediterranean Raisina Dialogue', a conference of the Ministry and Observer Research Foundation (ORF). This is significant because Marseille is one of the European ports along with Trieste, Italy, and Piraeus, Greece that are in the running for the India-Middle East-Europe-Economic Corridor (IMEC) route, and although ambitions for the project launched in 2023 have been dimmed due to the Israel-Gaza conflict, New Delhi is keen to keep discussions on it alive. In Brussels, he will hold a 'Strategic Dialogue' with EU High Representative and Vice-President Kaja Kallas, the Ministry said. Mr. Jaishankar is also expected to raise India's request for the repatriation of diamond merchant Mehul Choksi, who is under arrest pending a trial for extradition to India to face charges of fraud and embezzlement. Mr. Jaishankar will end his tour in time for the G-7 summit in Canada, although it is unclear whether he will attend. He is also scheduled to travel to Washington for the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in early July and could accompany PM Modi to the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro on July 5-6. The Hindu's Editorials The Hindu's Daily Quiz Which event management firm was involved in the RCB celebration incident leading to the tragic stampede? DNA Entertainment Percept Limited MAZE Events and Experiences Wizcraft Entertainment Agency To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here.
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Handshake abroad, discord at home with Opposition in the spotlight
A high-profile diplomatic offensive launched by New Delhi to rally international opinion in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack and Operation Sindoor concluded on Sunday with the return of the Ravi Shankar Prasad-led 'Group II' from a fortnight-long mission to Europe. The delegation was one of seven that fanned out globally to expose Pakistan's sponsorship of terrorism and reinforce India's strategic narrative in key capitals. More than 50 MPs, former diplomats, and ex-Union ministers were dispatched to 33 destinations, including Brussels, home to several European Union (EU) institutions. The delegations — drawn from across the political spectrum — are expected to brief Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the coming days. Group II, which included BJP leader D Purandeswari and Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Priyanka Chaturvedi, made stops in France, Italy, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Germany. The group's return coincided with the Ministry of External Affairs's (MEA's) announcement of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's upcoming European tour. In a statement, the MEA said in the first leg of his tour, Jaishankar will travel to Paris and Marseille in France. He will also hold talks with his EU counterpart Jean Noel Barrot and participate in the inaugural edition of the Mediterranean Raisina Dialogue in Marseille. In Brussels, Jaishankar will meet EU High Representative for foreign affairs and Vice-President Kaja Kallas. Jaishankar's trip builds on his recent May visits to the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany, as well as Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's engagements in Tokyo and Washington DC. Before Group II's return, Chaturvedi posted on social media that her delegation concluded its mission 'with a sense of satisfaction that India stands together, resolute in its fight against terrorism'. She thanked her party leadership and also the government 'for realising the need to take everyone along to send a strong message on Operation Sindoor and India's fight back against terror.' While formal assessments of the outreach are still forthcoming, the initiative appears to have burnished the profiles of several Opposition leaders. Congress' Shashi Tharoor, Salman Khurshid, and Manish Tewari; NCP (Sharad Pawar)'s Supriya Sule; DMK's Kanimozhi; AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi; BJP's Baijayant Panda; and JD(U)'s Sanjay Jha have emerged as prominent faces of the campaign. Yet the multi-party engagement has also stirred political turbulence back home. Khurshid, who travelled with Group III to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, publicly vented frustration over intra-party sniping. 'When on mission against terrorism... it's distressing that people at home are calculating political allegiances. Is it so difficult to be patriotic?' he wrote in a veiled dig on social media. In Jakarta, he noted that Kashmir had 'major problems' for years and suggested that the abrogation of Article 370 had resolved them. According to government sources, Khurshid — given his experience — was crucial to India finding unequivocal support from the Malaysian government for Operation Sindoor. Meanwhile, Tharoor, who headed Group V to the US, Guyana, Panama, Colombia and Brazil, faced criticism from Congress ranks. Party leader Udit Raj accused him of being a 'super spokesperson of the BJP'. Tharoor pushed back, saying working in the national interest should not be viewed as partisan. 'We are here as representatives of a united India,' he said during a press meet, highlighting the diversity within his team: five parties, three religions, seven states. Supriya Sule, who led Group VII to Qatar, South Africa, Ethiopia and Egypt, echoed this sentiment upon return. 'I couldn't be demanding a special Parliament session while representing India abroad,' she said, clarifying why she urged her party to wait until the delegations returned before pushing for a special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor. She noted a warm reception in the countries her team visited. 'They consider India the land of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi,' she said. Her delegation included Manish Tewari, Anand Sharma, Anurag Thakur, and Rajiv Pratap Rudy as members. Kanimozhi, who led Group VI to Russia, Slovenia, Greece, Latvia and Spain, received notable acclaim on social media, as did Owaisi, who travelled to the Gulf and North Africa as part of Group I led by the BJP's Panda. The wide participation of Opposition figures — many of whom often find themselves at odds with the government domestically —has not only elevated their international stature but also changed their perception among public and supporters of the ruling party.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
EAM Jaishankar to visit France, Belgium to boost ties, push anti-terror stand
New Delhi: External affairs minister S Jaishankar is visiting France and Belgium this week for meetings with the leadership of the two countries and the European Union (EU) to bolster bilateral relations and emphasise India's zero tolerance policy for terrorism. Jaishankar will travel to the two countries during June 8-14 for talks with his French and Belgian counterparts and the first ministerial strategic dialogue with EU foreign and security policy chief Kaja Kallas,the external affairs ministry said on Sunday. He will travel to Paris and Marseille for discussions with French foreign minister Jean Noel Barrot. Besides engaging with the senior leadership of France and interacting with think tanks, Jaishankar will participate in the inaugural edition of the Mediterranean Raisina Dialogue in Marseille. The engagements will be an opportunity for Jaishankar to brief interlocutors on India's military strikes on terror infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack and New Delhi's new approach for fighting terrorism. India and France have completed 25 years of their strategic partnership, and bilateral ties are 'rooted in deep trust and commitment', with the two countries cooperating closely across all strategic domains, the external affairs ministry said. Also Read: Jaishankar meets all-party squads led by Sanjay Jha, Kanimozhi While in Brussels, Jaishankar will hold the first ministerial strategic dialogue with the EU high representative and vice president, Kaja Kallas, and engage with the senior leadership of the European Commission and the European Parliament, and interact with think tanks. The India-EU strategic partnership got a big boost with the first visit to New Delhi of the EU college of commissioners in February, when the two sides set the year end as the deadline for finalising a free trade agreement. During the visit to Belgium, Jaishankar will hold bilateral consultations with Belgian foreign minister Maxime Prevot and meet the country's senior leadership of Belgium. India and Belgium share friendly relations and a robust economic partnership. The bilateral collaboration spans trade, investment, green energy, technology, pharmaceuticals and the diamond sector. Jaishankar's visit is expected to deepen India's relations with the EU, France and Belgium and give renewed momentum to ongoing cooperation in diverse areas, the ministry said.
