External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday described India and Luxembourg as having a "very trusted relationship" and highlighted opportunities to expand cooperation in areas including supply chain resilience, diversification, technology and trade. He made the remarks during a meeting with Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister Xavier Bettel in New Delhi.
Jaishankar welcomed Bettel's visit and linked it to the growing partnership between the two countries. He also thanked Luxembourg for its strong support for the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA), noting that the agreement had moved closer to implementation following the completion of negotiations and the ongoing process towards its entry into force.
The External Affairs Minister underlined the potential for greater cooperation on strengthening and diversifying supply chains. He also pointed to the broader opportunities emerging from closer India-Europe economic ties, with trade, investment and financial cooperation forming important areas of the bilateral relationship.
Also Read: Shashi Tharoor Calls For Paid Maternity Leave To Support Breastfeeding Mothers
Recalling his own visit to Luxembourg earlier this year, Jaishankar noted the warm reception he received and expressed satisfaction at having an opportunity to continue discussions with Bettel in New Delhi. He also highlighted sustained high-level engagement between the two countries, including virtual summits involving the leadership of India and Luxembourg in 2020 and 2021.
Beyond trade and investment, the two sides have been exploring cooperation in space, digital and green technologies. Jaishankar also highlighted healthcare as another area of collaboration, pointing to the important cooperation between India and Luxembourg during the COVID-19 pandemic and the expansion of health-related engagement since then.
The discussions come as India and Luxembourg look to broaden their partnership across economic, technological and strategic areas. Jaishankar's remarks underline New Delhi's interest in using closer ties with European partners to strengthen supply chains, expand investment and deepen cooperation in emerging technologies, while Luxembourg's support for the India-EU FTA adds an important dimension to the economic relationship.
Also Read: Piyush Goyal Highlights Support Of All 27 EU Nations For India FTA