External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday, July 13, met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Jakarta on the sidelines of a set of ASEAN-related ministerial dialogues. The meeting, among a large number of bilaterals, is significant, as was the one with his UK counterpart James Cleverley in which he brought up concerns pertaining to the security of Indian diplomats in the UK. Jaishankar also met his South Korean counterpart Park Jin to discuss critical minerals and cutting-edge technology. He raised the security of Indian diplomats with Cleverly days after NSA Ajit Doval asked his British counterpart Tim Barrow to take strong public action such as deportation against extremist elements threatening officers of the Indian High Commission in the UK.With Lavrov, Jaishankar discussed bilateral economic issues and matters related to the Ukraine conflict. India has become a major buyer of Russian oil, but there is no agreement with Russia on how to utilise the rupees that have accumulated due to western sanctions. India would want the rupees to be invested in its infrastructure sector or government bonds while Moscow wants the money to be repatriated before deciding what to do with it.
Tag: EAM
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Africa in focus during G20 presidency: EAM
New Delhi (TIP)- India’s priorities for its G20 presidency are to ensure inclusive and resilient growth with a focus on challenges being faced by the countries of the Global South, said External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, February 2.
“India’s G20 presidency priorities are inclusive and pragmatic progress on Sustainable Development Goals, green development and lifestyle for environment, technological transformation and public digital infrastructure, reforming multilateral institutions, women-led development, and international peace and harmony,” said the minister in reply to a question. “It is our endeavour that inputs generated from the ‘Voice of Global South Summit’ receive cognisance globally, including in G20 deliberations,” he added, while pointing out that India’s G20 presidency had the largest-ever representation from Africa with six participants. In addition to South Africa, other African countries invited to G20 meetings and the summit are Egypt, the Mauritius, Nigeria, the Chair of African Union and the Chair of AUDA-NEPAD.
He said India had always been a voice of the Global South, including for “African friends”. On January 12-13, India had hosted the “Voice of Global South Summit” in the virtual format with a focus on charting a new path of greater collaboration towards realisation of the priorities of developing countries. Source: TNS