S.Jaishankar’s first visit as an EAM to Australian

At the invitation of his Australian colleague Marise Payne, Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister (EAM), India, will conduct an official visit to Australia from 10 to 13 February 2022. 

AEM S. Jaishankar and Australia Foreign Minister Marise Payne, on 12 February, will co-chair the inaugural Foreign Ministers’ Cyber Framework Dialogue (FMCFD). Meetings with Australian political leaders, academics, businesses, and Indian diaspora and students are scheduled for the AEM.

From the 13th to the 15th of February 2022, EAM will travel to the Philippines for a bilateral visit. This will be his first trip to the Philippines as External Affairs Minister. He will meet with his colleague, Teodoro L Locsin Jr, the Philippines’ Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

AEM S. Jaishankar recently held comprehensive talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart GL Peiris, covering nearly all aspects of bilateral relations. The talks took place days after India provided the island government with a USD 500 million credit line.

Announcing the two-nation visit by Jaishankar, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said he will participate in the fourth Quad foreign ministers’ meeting on February 11 in Melbourne along with his counterparts from Australia, Japan, and the US.

The MEA said it will be an opportunity for the ministers to follow up on their virtual meeting held in February last year and exchange views on regional strategic issues given their shared vision of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

“The ministers will review ongoing Quad cooperation and build on the positive and constructive agenda announced by the leaders at the two summits in 2021, to address contemporary challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chains, critical technologies, climate change, infrastructure, etc,” it said in a statement.

Besides attending the Quad meeting, Jaishankar will also co-chair with his Australian counterpart Marise Payne the 12th India-Australia foreign ministers’ framework dialogue on February 12.

“The ministers will review the progress of the India-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership and discuss bilateral, multilateral, and regional issues of mutual interest,” the MEA said.

On the same day, he will also co-chair with Payne the inaugural foreign ministers’ cyber framework dialogue.

Edited by- Kritika Kashyap

Published by Jaspreet Singh