The External Affairs Minister of India, S Jaishankar, has embarked on a six-day visit to Bangladesh, Sweden, and Belgium to strengthen India’s relationships with these countries. The visit, which began on Thursday, aims to enhance bilateral and multilateral relations with the three nations. Jaishankar will be attending the India-EU Business and Technology Council meeting in Brussels, along with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Railways and Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, as stated by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Visit to Bangladesh
Jaishankar’s visit will commence in Bangladesh on May 11th, where he will stay for two days. During his stay, the minister will be participating in the sixth edition of the Indian Ocean Conference in Dhaka. The event will be attended by President of Mauritius Prithviraj Singh Roopoon, Vice President of Maldives Faisal Naseem, Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, and ministers from various countries worldwide.
Visit to Sweden
After concluding his visit to Bangladesh, Jaishankar will travel to Sweden, where he will be staying from May 13th to May 15th. The purpose of his visit is to strengthen bilateral ties with Sweden and explore new areas of cooperation. Sweden and India have had strong diplomatic ties since 1949, and the visit is expected to take the relationship to a higher level.
Visit to Belgium
Jaishankar’s final destination is Belgium, where he will stay on May 15th and 16th. During his visit, he will have bilateral meetings with officials from Belgium and the European Union to further strengthen India’s relationship with the region. The visit will also include participation in the India-EU Business and Technology Council meeting, where he will discuss critical technologies such as quantum computing, cyber security, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence.
India-EU Technology Collaboration
The recently launched TTC (Technology and Trade Initiative on Services) is expected to facilitate the exchange of critical technologies between India and the European Union. The TTC ministerial meeting is scheduled for May 16th, and the initiative is the second such technology collaboration of the EU, with the first such alliance made with the US in June 2021.
Jaishankar’s visit to Bangladesh, Sweden, and Belgium aims to enhance India’s relationship with these countries and explore new areas of cooperation. The visit also provides an opportunity to participate in the India-EU Business and Technology Council meeting and the TTC ministerial meeting. India’s collaboration with the European Union on critical technologies is a significant step towards achieving mutual benefits and addressing global challenges.
