India-EU ties in focus as EAM Jaishankar starts 2-day visit to Brussels

Jaishankar visits Brussels to engage EU foreign ministers and advance the India-EU partnership following the landmark free trade agreement

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday kick-started a two-day visit to Brussels for talks with his counterparts from member states of 27-nation European Union.

It is the first high-level visit from India to Brussels headquartered EU after the two sides firmed up a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in January.

The external affairs ministry said Jaishankar is travelling to the capital of Belgium at the invitation of EU High Representative and Vice President Kaja Kallas to interact with foreign ministers of the 27 member states of the bloc at its Foreign Affairs Council Meeting.

"During the visit, the external affairs minister will also hold meetings with the leadership of the European Union, and his counterparts from Belgium and other EU member states," the ministry said.

 

"The visit of the external affairs minister coming soon after the historic 16th India-EU summit is expected to further deepen India's strategic partnership with the European Union," it said in a brief statement.

India and the EU sealed the free trade agreement -- billed as the "mother of all deals" -- following the summit meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the top EU leadership on January 27.

As Jaishankar visit to Brussels is taking place amid the Iran-US conflict, the two sides are expected to deliberate on dealing with its consequences, especially on the flow of energy.