Indian Foreign Minister Dr. Jaishankar Arrives in France for G7 Meeting

New Delhi, March 26: Indian Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has arrived in France for a two-day visit to participate in the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting. The invitation for this meeting was extended by Jean-Noël Barrot, the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

In a post on the social media platform ‘X’, Dr. Jaishankar stated, “I have reached Abbey des Vaux-de-Cernay in France to participate in the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting with partner countries. I received a warm welcome from French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot for my first bilateral meeting.”

According to information from the Ministry of External Affairs, the Foreign Minister is also expected to hold bilateral discussions with his counterparts from various countries during the meeting in France.

The meeting will include several non-G7 partner countries such as India, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and Ukraine, showcasing a significant outreach initiative by the group.

As per a background briefing from the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting will address several critical global issues, including the ongoing war in Ukraine, reconstruction efforts, maritime security concerns, and improvements in the global governance system.

Providing details about the agenda, Pascal Confavreux, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), mentioned that this meeting is taking place immediately after informal consultations during the UN General Assembly and will serve as a preparatory stage for the upcoming G7 Leaders’ Summit. Officials noted that the meeting will focus on both immediate global crises and long-term structural challenges.

The spokesperson emphasized, “We will strive as much as possible not only for this informal meeting, commonly referred to as the G7 meeting, but also to achieve some concrete outcomes.” A significant focus area will be Ukraine, with dedicated sessions on reconstruction and regional security.

The briefing indicated that the second session will focus on reconstruction, aiming to achieve at least three effective outcomes, including discussions on nuclear safety, humanitarian demining, and funding systems for rebuilding efforts.

The role of institutions like the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is also expected to be highlighted, particularly in raising investments for Ukraine’s recovery. The meeting will also discuss maritime security and supply chain resilience, with a separate session focusing on ensuring freedom of maritime routes and navigation.

On governance issues, the G7 is considering advancing reforms to strengthen the multilateral system. The briefing pointed out efforts to modernize the global governance framework, stating, “Generally, this will involve adopting new approaches to address horizontal threats that jeopardize the sovereignty of different countries.”