India, Austria Stress Security Ties and Progress on Key Agreements

New Delhi, October 28: India and Austria on Wednesday reviewed the progress of agreements reached during Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker's visit to India in April, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighting security and defence cooperation as a key pillar of the relationship.

Jaishankar met Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger in New Delhi, where he warmly welcomed the delegation. He said the two countries share a friendly and cordial relationship and that the chancellor's April visit had been especially productive.

The minister said the present global situation was complex, and it was only natural for India and Austria to discuss these challenges. He added that the two countries could work together to contribute to international peace and security.

Jaishankar congratulated Austria on its election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. He recalled that India and Austria have a long history of working together within the United Nations and said New Delhi intends to maintain this cooperation.

He said economic cooperation was going well but could be strengthened further. Jaishankar also noted that ties in science and technology, climate issues and broader European Union contexts were deepening, and that people-to-people relations were growing stronger.

He said both sides were anticipating the coming into force of the free trade agreement (FTA) in the months ahead. Jaishankar concluded that the security and defence partnership was advancing and that a large agenda lay ahead.

Secretary (West) Sibi George and other officials from the Ministry of External Affairs were present at the meeting.