Washington, Nov 12 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar held bilateral talks with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Niagara, Canada.

EAM Jaishankar posted on X, “Met with FM Prince @FaisalbinFarhan of Saudi Arabia. Our interaction covered bilateral ties, regional hotspots, connectivity and energy.”

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs also wrote on X, “Foreign Minister HH Prince @FaisalbinFarhan met with Minister of External Affairs of India, @DrSJaishankar, on the sidelines of His Highness’s participation in #G7FMM.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Jaishankar attended a special session on maritime security along with other G7 foreign ministers.

He also held a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, where the US Secretary of State offered his condolences on the loss of lives in the Delhi blast on Monday.

EAM Jaishankar posted on X, “Good to meet @SecRubio this morning at #G7 FMM. Appreciate his condolences on the loss of lives in the blast in Delhi. Discussed our bilateral ties, focusing on trade and supply chains. Exchanged views on the Ukraine conflict, the Middle East/West Asia situation and Indo-Pacific.”

On Tuesday, Jaishankar held a series of bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Canada, Mexico, France, Brazil, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Germany.

India is participating in the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting as an invited partner under the Canadian presidency, alongside countries such as Brazil, Australia and South Korea. The two-day event focuses on global security, economic resilience, energy cooperation and strengthening partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region.

In a statement on Monday, the Ministry of External Affairs said that Jaishankar’s visit reflected India’s “continued commitment” to work with international partners.

“EAM’s participation in the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting reflects India’s continued commitment to working with international partners in addressing global challenges and bolstering the voice of the Global South in international fora,” it added.

The External Affairs Minister is expected to hold further interactions with counterparts from other participating nations before the formal conclusion of the G7 ministerial sessions in Canada on November 12.

–IANS

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