External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday met his Australian and Hungarian counterparts and held bilateral talks with them.
Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne met Jaishankar on the sidelines of India’s flagship global conference Raisina Dialogue.
During the meeting, Jaishankar and Mr. Payne noted the progressive development in the bilateral relationship and affirmed that strategic partnership between the two countries is based on mutual understanding, trust, common interests and the shared values of democracy and rule of law.
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“India and Australia reaffirmed their desire to work together to build a free, open, prosperous, rules-based and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Both sides agreed to prioritise the building of a strong multi-faceted trade and economic cooperation as well as cooperation in defence and security,” the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
They acknowledged that the growing threat of terrorism constituted a major threat to peace and security in the region and called for stronger international partnership in countering terrorism and violent extremism, it said.
“Australia conveyed that India could consider it as a stable, reliable and trusted supplier of high-quality mineral resources to India and in this regard, both sides agreed to diversify and expand existing resources partnership,” the statement said.
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Jaishankar also met Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and held discussions on bilateral ties and global affairs.
“Welcome FM Peter Szijjarto of Hungary to his first Dialogue. A good discussion this morning on our relationship as well as on global affairs. Appreciate his contribution to the #Raisina buzz,” Jaishankar said in a tweet.