Foreign Minister of Belarus V.Makei pays a visit to India

On November 9-10, 2022 the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Vladimir Makei, paid a working visit to the Republic of India. Foreign Minister of Belarus met with the External Affairs Minister of the Republic of India, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The sides confirmed mutual interest in cooperation in a wide range of areas, emphasizing the traditionally friendly and constructive development of the bilateral relations. The Ministers outlined concrete joint steps to expand bilateral trade and economic cooperation. Diplomats discussed issues of mutual support at the international organizations. The parties agreed to work together on updating the legal framework of Belarusian-Indian relations. The Ministers discussed in detail the current situation in Ukraine, noting the need for its settlement by peaceful means.

In the light of the role of Belarus as one of the leading producers of potash fertilizers, V.Makei discussed with the Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers of the Republic of India, Honorable Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, the issues of ensuring global food security. Substantive approaches to cooperation in the field of petrochemistry were also considered.

The eleventh session of the Belarusian-Indian Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation in Trade, Economy, Industry, Science, Technology and Culture was held under the Co-chairmanship of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and the State Minister of Commerce and Industry of India. The commission comprehensively considered the whole range of issues of bilateral cooperation, first of all with an emphasis on the development of interaction in the fields of logistics, industrial cooperation, agriculture, finance, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, science, education, tourism and other areas. As a result of the meeting, the protocol, which defines further steps to achieve strategic relations between the two countries, was signed.

V.Makei held a meeting with the Minister for Commerce and Industry of the Republic of India, Piyush Goyal, during which the sides shared firm intention of Belarus and India to create favorable conditions for the further expansion of trade and economic ties and implementation of joint investment projects in such areas as engineering, pharmaceuticals, and infrastructure development. The need to remove trade barriers and restrictions between the two countries was noted.

The Minister took part in the Belarusian-Indian Business Forum, organized under the auspices of the National Center for Marketing and Price Study of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). V.Makei called on representatives of Indian business to work more actively in the Republic of Belarus and confirmed the readiness of Belarusian enterprises to expand their presence in India. During his stay in New Delhi, the Minister also held a number of meetings with representatives of large Indian companies, within the framework of which the prospects for the implementation of a number of projects of mutual interest were discussed.

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