External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar will be on a two-day visit to Germany beginning today. During his visit to Berlin, Dr Jaishankar will meet German Federal Foreign Minister and other key leaders with an objective to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and explore further opportunities for collaboration. The External Affairs Minister’s visit to Berlin is set to prepare grounds for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s proposed trip to India next month. Germany stands as one of India’s significant trading partners and a leading source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

Earlier yesterday, Dr Jaishankar reiterated India’s principled and consistent stand on the Palestinian issue while calling for a ceasefire in the region, as soon as possible. He said, the current situation in Gaza is now understandably India’s foremost concern. Dr Jaishankar said, while we condemn acts of terrorism and hostage taking, we are deeply pained by the continuing death of innocent civilians. The External Affairs Minister was co-chairing the inaugural India-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Joint Ministerial Meeting for Strategic Dialogue in Riyadh yesterday. He said, on the larger issue, India has consistently stood for a resolution of the Palestinian issue through a two-State solution. In his opening remarks, Dr Jaishankar offered the framework of 3Ps – people, prosperity and progress – as the driving force behind the partnership. He said, India is one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing markets – where much of the future demand is going to come from. External Affairs Minister called on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to invest in each other’s future and support each other’s continued prosperity.

Describing GCC a cornerstone of global energy supply, Dr Jaishankar called for deeper collaboration to stabilize markets, drive innovation and enhance energy security. External Affairs Minister also held a series of bilateral meetings with the Foreign Ministers from GCC member countries. They include Foreign Ministers of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait.

On the third and final leg of his 3-nation trip, Dr Jaishankar will visit Geneva from September 12 to 13. In Geneva, External Affairs Minister will meet heads and representatives of international organisations with whom India is actively engaged. Geneva is home to a large number of UN bodies and international organizations. He will also meet the Swiss Foreign Minister to review the close partnership between the two countries.