External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar (EAM) will be on a six-day official visit to Netherlands, Denmark and Germany from Monday. During the visit he will meet the leadership of the three countries.

This will be the External Affairs Minister’s first foreign visit since the heinous Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that resulted in the death of 26 innocent civilians and Operation Sindoor.

Advertisement

In the wake of the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack, the three countries were among several nations from across the world who expressed their solidarity with India, and not Pakistan.

Jaishankar’s visit to Germany comes after Friedrich Merz took over the office as the new Federal Chancellor of Germany earlier in May this year.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the External Affairs Minister will pay an official visit to the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany from May 19-24. “During the visit, EAM will meet the leadership of the three countries and hold discussions with his counterparts on the entire gamut of bilateral relations and regional and global matters of mutual interest,” the MEA said in a statement on Sunday.

The visit is part of India’s ongoing diplomatic engagements aimed at deepening strategic ties and enhancing cooperation with key European partners, focusing on strategic partnerships, trade, investment, and regional and global issues of mutual interest.

The visit comes at a time when India is actively bolstering its outreach to Europe, with an emphasis on trade, investment, digital cooperation, climate action, and shared security concerns. EAM Jaishankar’s meetings are expected to cover a broad range of issues, including geopolitical developments, global economic challenges, and coordination on multilateral platforms.

The upcoming visit builds upon previous engagements between India and Denmark.

In February 2024, the two countries signed a Mobility and Migration Partnership Agreement, facilitating a structured framework for Indian nationals to work in Denmark, particularly in the healthcare sector. The agreement also includes provisions for Indian students pursuing higher education in Denmark, allowing them extended time to seek employment post-graduation.

Additionally, in September 2024, Dr. Jaishankar met with Denmark’s Minister for Industry, Business, and Financial Affairs Morten Bdskov to discuss advancing the Green Strategic Partnership. This partnership focuses on renewable energy collaboration, with India inviting Danish companies to invest in its growing renewable energy sector.

Earlier in October, 2024 Jaishankar held comprehensive talks with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and discussed various regional and global matters.

He also had a productive dialogue with German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, who is also the Economic Affairs and Climate Action Minister. These discussions were part of the seventh India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) meeting.