COLOMBO : Indian foreign minister Dr S Jaishankar stressed the need for a regular, comprehensive and candid dialogue between India and the EU, especially with regard to the Indo-Pacific Meet.
The minister shared his thoughts about the Indo-Pacific Meet at the EU-India Pacific Ministerial Forum held in Sweden .
The minister said the EU has major stakes in Indo-Pacific developments, especially as they pertain to technology, connectivity, trade and finance.
Established thinking is being tested by the outcomes of the last two decades. How to respond to non-market economics is proving to be a more formidable challenge than most expected. Recent events have highlighted the problems with economic concentration, as also the need for diversification. De-risking the global economy involves reliable and resilient supply chains and promoting trust and transparency in the digital domain. The more European Union and Indo-Pacific deal with each other, the stronger will be their respective appreciation of multi-polarity. A multipolar world is feasible only by a multipolar Asia. Transformations underway in India, like digital public delivery or green growth initiatives merit EU’s attention. India’s rapidly expanding global footprint will intersect with the EU more in the coming years.
Any evaluation of the Indo-Pacific will naturally factor in the Quad as a platform for global good. The Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) is an initiative that EU will be comfortable with and may consider partnering in, the minister concluded.
