New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on International Solar Alliance (ISA) with the Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto in New Delhi on Friday.

EAM Jaishankar held a bilateral meeting with Minister Szijjarto and discussed global affairs on the sidelines of the India-Hungary Business Forum.

"A real pleasure to welcome FM Peter Szijjarto of Hungary in New Delhi. Look forward to our discussions on bilateral matters and global affairs," tweeted Jaishankar prior to the meeting.

Jaishankar met Minister Szijjarto on the sidelines of the Bled Strategic Forum on September 1-2 2021 in Slovenia and again on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on September 22, 2021.

India's friendly relations with Hungary continued to grow steadily although the COVID pandemic impacted the pace of activities.

Hungary and India exchanged notes for mutual recognition of COVID vaccination certificates on 8 October 2021. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India issued a notification to bring this into effect from October 25, 2021.

President of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations visited Hungary from September 29 to October 1, 2021. Apart from meeting Deputy State Secretary Marton Schoberl in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, President ICCR also held a meeting with the Indologists at the Department of India studies of Eotvos Lorand University and delivered a public speech at this University on the topic "India@75: From the past, through the present, to the future."

He also attended the Hindi Diwas celebrations organised at the Amrita Shergill Cultural Centre (ASCC) of the Embassy of India. The visit of President ICCR took place in the context of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav activities being organised by the ASCC.

The 160th Birth Anniversary of Nobel laureate Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore was celebrated in Balatonfured on May 5 2021 which was attended by the Mayor of Balatonfured. Gurudev Tagore had briefly stayed in this city in November 1926.

As part of Azadi ki Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, an exhibition of paintings on Mahatma Gandhi by Elizabeth Saas Brunner and Elizabeth Brunner - mother-daughter duo painters, was organised at Nagykanizsa on November 3, 2021. The event was attended by the Member of Parliament from the city and the Mayor of Nagykanizsa city.

The ISA is a multilateral organisation working for increased deployment of solar energy technologies around the world. The ISA works to increase and harmonise demand for solar energy solutions and helps member countries to secure financing for viable projects. The ISA also seeks to reduce the risks and costs associated with solar energy development.