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Jaishankar to have bilaterals with most countries at G7 meet in Canada
The G7 summit meeting is being held at the resort township of Niagara-on-the-Lake which is close to the iconic Niagara Falls. India will focus on the Global South at the meet
Toronto: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is expected to have over a dozen engagements at the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Canada, headlined by bilaterals with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his host, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand.
His schedule includes bilaterals with “almost all” of the countries that will participate at the event on Tuesday and Wednesday, a senior Indian official said.
However, the evolving contours of the investigation of the deadly bomb blast near the Red Fort in Delhi on Monday could influence India’s agenda at the global meet, if a link to terror is established, the official confirmed.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “shocked” to hear about the devastating car blast”.
“I offer my deepest condolences to the loved ones of those who were killed in this horrific explosion, and wish a fast and full recovery to all who were injured. Canada stands with the people of Delhi and India during this time of mourning,” he said in a social media post.
The G7 summit meeting is being held at the resort township of Niagara-on-the-Lake which is close to the iconic Niagara Falls. Canada is hosting 15 foreign ministers.
India will focus on the Global South at the meet.
Anand had announced the invitation to India, along with other outreach countries, last week.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Global Affairs Canada, the country’s foreign ministry, said the Canada is “pleased to host ministers from several outreach countries, reflecting shared global priorities and partnerships”.
Other than the G7 nations of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Union, the outreach countries invited are India, Australia, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, South Korea, South Africa and Ukraine.
“This important gathering will provide an opportunity to advance Canada’s G7 agenda on pressing global economic and security challenges, including maritime security and prosperity, economic resilience, energy security and critical minerals,” the statement noted.
As the host of the G7 FMs’ meeting, Anand is expected to hold bilateral talks with the invitees.
Anand visited India last month and met Jaishankar in New Delhi leading a detailed joint statement.
Prior to that, she met Jaishankar on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 29.
If they were to have another bilateral in November, it would be their third within a span of 45 days.
