New Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Wednesday recalled Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker’s visit to India in April this year and said that he and his Austrian counterpart Beate Meinl-Reisinger will be reviewing the progress on understandings and agreements reached following the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Austrian leader.

EAM Jaishankar, in his opening remarks during a meeting with Reisinger in New Delhi on Wednesday, extended a warm welcome to the visiting delegation and stated that India and Austria share a warm and friendly relationship.

“We had, of course, the Chancellor’s visit in April and it was a very productive visit. And, I think today we have an opportunity to review the progress on the understandings which were reached then, the agreements which were reached then. These are also, of course, complicated times in the world and it is natural that India and Austria who have such a warm and friendly relationship that we would discuss many of those issues and see how we can together contribute to international peace and security,” EAM Jaishankar said.

He congratulated Austria on becoming a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and noted that India and Austria have been deepening collaboration in science and technology, climate issues and people-to-people ties. Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Sibi George, and other officials were also present during the meeting.

“Let me take this opportunity to also congratulate you on becoming a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. We again have a long history of cooperating in the UN framework; obviously, we would like to continue that. In terms of our own economic cooperation, it is doing well, but it can always do better,” said EAM Jaishankar.

“There are also, I think, deepening exchanges on people-to-people ties in science and technology, on climate issues, and not least there is the larger context of the European Union, with whom our ties have intensified. We look forward to the entry into force of the FTA in the coming months. Our security, defence partnership is advancing. So, I do think we do have a great agenda before us,” he added.

–IANS

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