Security, Indo-Pacific, tech top agenda for Jaishankar’s 3-nation tour

On Thursday, Jaishankar arrived in Bangladesh for a two-day visit, during which he will participate in the Indian Ocean Conference being organised in Dhaka by the India Foundation in partnership with the foreign ministries of the two countries

Updated on: May 11, 2023, 19:54:39 IST

By Rezaul H Laskar

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External affairs minister S Jaishankar has a packed schedule over the next week, travelling to Bangladesh for a conference focused on cooperation in the Indian Ocean before heading off to Europe for two crucial meetings on security in the Indo-Pacific and trade and technology collaboration.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar (File Photo)

On Thursday, Jaishankar arrived in Bangladesh for a two-day visit, during which he will participate in the Indian Ocean Conference being organised in Dhaka by the India Foundation in partnership with the foreign ministries of the two countries. He will also meet his Bangladesh counterpart AK Abdul Momen and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the trip, people familiar with the matter said.

From Dhaka, Jaishankar will fly directly to Sweden to participate in the second EU-Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum. He will hold bilateral meetings with foreign ministers of several of the 60 countries expected to take part in the forum. The forum will have three roundtable sessions, including one devoted to the evolving security landscape of the Indo-Pacific that is expected to discuss China’s growing assertiveness across the region.

Also Read: How EAM Jaishankar got one up on Pak’s Bilawal Zardari at Goa

After the two-day visit to Sweden, Jaishankar will be in Belgium during May 16-17 to participate in the maiden ministerial meeting of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council along with commerce minister Piyush Goyal and electronics and information technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

The Indian Ocean Conference, to be addressed by leaders such as Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina, US deputy secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Nepal foreign minister Narayan Saud, will focus on regional cooperation under India’s SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region) initiative. Against the backdrop of China’s increased military activities in the Indian Ocean, there will be sessions devoted to forging partnerships in the Indo-Pacific for peace and prosperity and dealing with non-traditional security challenges.

As part of his first visit to Sweden since becoming the foreign minister, Jaishankar will take part in the EU-Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum that will be co-chaired by Swedish foreign minister Tobias Billström and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. Ahead of the meeting, European and Swedish officials said India is perceived as a key partner for trade and maritime security initiatives in the Indo-Pacific. There are also plans for EU states to enhance joint patrols and exercises with the Indian Navy in the northwest Indian Ocean, they said.

The people cited above said China’s actions across the Indo-Pacific, especially in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, the creation of secure and resilient two-way supply chains and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are expected to figure during discussions at the forum in Stockholm.

The forum will also deliberate on building more sustainable and inclusive prosperity and pursuing green opportunities and jointly overcoming global challenges. The forum is being hosted by Sweden as part of its presidency of the Council of the EU.

Also Read: ‘Stop looking for a China fix’: Jaishankar on how Indian economy, businesses can grow

Jaishankar will also hold bilateral meetings with foreign ministers of several countries on the margins of the Indo-Pacific forum, call on the leadership of Sweden and meet key Swedish ministers, the external affairs ministry said. Jaishankar and his Swedish counterpart will also participate in the inaugural session of the India Trilateral Forum which groups India, Europe and the US.

On the last leg of the visit, Jaishankar will travel to Brussels during May 15-16 for bilateral engagements with Belgian and EU officials. He will also join the first ministerial meeting of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council on May 16.

India is only the second country, after the US, with which the EU has established a trade and technology council. This is a strategic coordination mechanism that will give India access to advanced technologies and allow the two sides to set standards in crucial and sensitive areas such as 5G and artificial intelligence.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rezaul H Laskar
Rezaul Hasan Laskar is Foreign Editor with the Hindustan Times, which he joined in 2015. He began as a journalist in his hometown of Shillong in northeast India and has worked in newspapers and wire services over the years. He moved to New Delhi in 1997 and initially focused on defence, national security, Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast, while also working of foreign policy and international relations. He has been part of the media delegation accompanying PMs on foreign visits and has reported from destinations ranging from Tibet to Ukraine. Between 2007 and 2013, he was the Press Trust of India correspondent in Pakistan, one of only two Indian journalists allowed to report from the country. He extensively covered Pakistan’s domestic politics and the life of the common people, as well as the fallout of the 2008 Mumbai attacks on India-Pakistan relations and the subsequent trial in Pakistan of the suspects involved in the attack. As part of his reportage in Pakistan, he travelled the breadth of the country, from the Swat Valley to Balochistan. Reza’s first gig in journalism was writing a weekly music column, and music – especially classic rock – remains a keen interest. He is also a movie buff and a keen photographer.Read More

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