External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar continued an intensive round of diplomatic engagements during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Week in New York, holding separate bilateral meetings with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis and Nauru President David Adeang.
The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations, expanding economic cooperation, and enhancing coordination on regional and global issues through multilateral platforms.
The meetings reflected India's broader diplomatic strategy of deepening partnerships across continents while reinforcing its role as an influential voice in international affairs. As world leaders gathered in New York for the annual UNGA session, India used the opportunity to engage with both major economic partners and strategically important smaller nations, underscoring its commitment to a diversified foreign policy approach.
During his meeting with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, Jaishankar reviewed the expanding India-Switzerland relationship, with particular emphasis on the implementation of the India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), which has emerged as a significant milestone in economic relations between India and the EFTA bloc.
Sharing details of the meeting, Jaishankar noted that both sides took stock of the strengthening economic partnership that has followed the entry into force of the landmark trade agreement. The discussions also covered contemporary global developments and ways to increase cooperation in multilateral institutions.
The India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement represents one of India's most important trade arrangements with Europe in recent years. The EFTA grouping consists of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, four highly developed economies with strong capabilities in advanced manufacturing, financial services, pharmaceuticals, clean technologies, precision engineering and innovation.
For India, the agreement is expected to facilitate greater market access, encourage investments, strengthen supply chain integration and create new opportunities for businesses across sectors. Switzerland, the largest economy within EFTA and already a significant investor in India, is expected to play a central role in translating the agreement into tangible economic outcomes.
The agreement is viewed as strategically significant because it comes at a time when India is pursuing a series of trade and investment partnerships aimed at expanding its integration with global markets. The pact is also expected to strengthen cooperation in emerging sectors including advanced technologies, green energy, life sciences, research, innovation and high-end manufacturing.
Beyond economics, Jaishankar and Cassis exchanged views on important global issues and explored opportunities for closer cooperation in international forums. India and Switzerland have increasingly found common ground on issues related to sustainable development, innovation, climate action and multilateral engagement.
In a separate engagement, Jaishankar met Nauru President David Adeang on the sidelines of the UNGA High-Level Week. The meeting highlighted the growing relationship between India and the Pacific island nation and reflected New Delhi's sustained outreach towards countries in the Pacific region.
Jaishankar expressed appreciation for the strong bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the two countries. He also reaffirmed India's commitment to supporting Nauru's development priorities and continuing its role as a reliable development partner.
India's engagement with Pacific Island countries has gained increasing prominence over the past decade. Through development assistance, capacity-building initiatives, healthcare support, digital connectivity projects and climate resilience programmes, India has sought to strengthen its presence and partnerships in the region.
Nauru, one of the world's smallest island nations, occupies strategic importance in the Pacific due to its participation in regional and international organisations. India has consistently engaged Pacific Island countries through forums such as the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC), which aims to strengthen collaboration in areas ranging from sustainable development to infrastructure and human resource development.
The discussion between Jaishankar and Adeang also reflected India's recognition of the concerns faced by small island developing states, particularly in relation to climate change, sustainable development and economic resilience. New Delhi has frequently advocated for greater international support to such nations and has positioned itself as a partner willing to contribute through practical development initiatives.
The meetings with Switzerland and Nauru formed part of a wider diplomatic effort by India during the UNGA week. As geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty and regional conflicts continue to shape the international landscape, India has sought to strengthen relationships across different regions while advocating a more representative and effective multilateral order.
Earlier in the week, Jaishankar participated in the first-ever meeting between the Visegrád Group (V4) foreign ministers and India. The V4 comprises Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, a grouping that has emerged as an increasingly important partner for India in Central Europe.
Following the discussions, Jaishankar announced that India and the V4 countries had agreed to deepen cooperation across a broad spectrum of sectors. These included political engagement, economic collaboration, technology partnerships, defence cooperation, educational exchanges and stronger people-to-people ties.
The participating countries also agreed to establish an annual business forum, a move expected to encourage greater commercial interaction, investment flows and industry-level engagement between India and Central European economies.
Additionally, the foreign ministers agreed to institutionalise annual meetings, creating a more structured framework for political dialogue and policy coordination. Such regular engagements are expected to provide momentum to the expanding relationship and facilitate progress across various sectors.
The discussions with the V4 countries extended beyond bilateral matters and addressed a wide range of strategic issues. Topics included technology and innovation partnerships, defence cooperation, space sector developments, connectivity initiatives and mobility frameworks.
The foreign ministers also exchanged views on major international developments, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and evolving geopolitical dynamics in the Gulf region. These discussions reflected India's growing engagement with European partners on complex security and geopolitical challenges.
A particularly significant outcome of the V4 engagement was the reaffirmation of support for India's longstanding aspiration to secure permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council. Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár stated that the V4 countries support India's candidature, adding another voice to the growing international backing for reform of the Security Council.
India has consistently argued that the current structure of the Security Council does not adequately reflect contemporary geopolitical realities and that major emerging powers should be granted a larger role in global decision-making. Support from European partners such as the V4 countries strengthens New Delhi's diplomatic campaign for a more representative international system.
Taken together, Jaishankar's meetings with Switzerland, Nauru and the Visegrád Group underscore India's efforts to simultaneously advance economic interests, expand diplomatic partnerships and strengthen its influence in multilateral institutions.
The engagements also reflect New Delhi's approach of building relationships with countries of varying sizes and strategic importance while pursuing a more active role in shaping the global agenda.
As the UNGA High-Level Week continues, India's diplomatic outreach demonstrates its intent to deepen cooperation across regions, create new economic opportunities, expand strategic partnerships and reinforce support for reforms in global governance structures.
ANI
