The first V4 + India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was held on the margins of the Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York yesterday. External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar participated in the meeting along with Foreign Ministers of Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The meeting was held under the Slovak Presidency of the V4.
The Ministers exchanged views on ways to strengthen engagement between India and the Visegrad Group. They acknowledged the strong bilateral relations that exist between India and each of the V4 countries, and noted the potential for the V4+India format to complement and add further momentum to these ties.
External Affairs Ministry said that the discussions covered opportunities for cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, technology and innovation, resilient supply chains, defence and security, connectivity, education, mobility and people-to-people exchanges. The Ministers also discussed possibilities for greater interaction between businesses, academic and research institutions and other stakeholders from India and the V4 member states.
The Ministers also exchanged perspectives on global and regional developments, peace and security, and cooperation in multilateral fora. Discussions included the need for reformed multilateralism and addressing contemporary global challenges, including those affecting the Global South.
The Ministry stated that the inaugural meeting marked an important step in establishing engagement between India and the Visegrad Group at the Foreign Ministers’ level. The V4+India format offers an additional platform for dialogue and cooperation, building upon India’s longstanding and substantive relations with V4 countries.
The V4+India group is a diplomatic dialogue format that brings together India and the Visegrád Group (V4)-comprising Central European nations Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. The Visegrad Group (V4) is a cultural and political alliance that aims to advance cooperation in military, economic, cultural, and energy affairs.
