New Delhi: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar held a series of bilateral meetings in Manila on the sidelines of the ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers’ Meetings. His engagements included discussions with representatives from Oman, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the Philippines and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
He met Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, where both leaders exchanged views on recent developments in the Gulf region. Jaishankar expressed appreciation for the meeting and confirmed that they agreed to remain in touch.
In his first meeting with the newly appointed UK Foreign Secretary Edward Miliband, Jaishankar congratulated him on his appointment. The two leaders discussed advancing India-UK ties following the implementation of the recently concluded Free Trade Agreement. They agreed to build on the positive momentum generated by the FTA and strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Jaishankar also met Christian Saunders, Commissioner-General ad interim and Acting Commissioner-General of UNRWA. Their discussions focused on India’s humanitarian support, including contributions and commitments made at the recent Donors Conference in health and capacity building.
During his meeting with Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen, Jaishankar reviewed the outcomes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the Netherlands in May. They discussed implementing the newly elevated Strategic Partnership between the two countries. Jaishankar highlighted that the elevation of ties has opened new avenues of cooperation in semiconductors, water resources, green hydrogen, health and culture.
The External Affairs Minister also called on Philippine President Bongbong Marcos Jr. He conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s greetings and reaffirmed India’s support for the Philippines’ ASEAN chairship. He emphasised that India-Philippines cooperation under the Strategic Partnership continues to diversify through the implementation of the India-Philippines Plan of Action 2025-2029.
Jaishankar’s two-day visit to Manila included participation in several foreign minister-level meetings. These comprised the ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the ASEAN Regional Forum meetings. He also attended the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, where India, the United States, Japan and Australia reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and expressed support for ASEAN centrality.
His engagements in Manila underscored India’s active diplomatic outreach, strengthening bilateral partnerships, supporting humanitarian initiatives and reinforcing multilateral cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
