Jaishankar Kicks Off Diplomatic Meetings at UN with France and Ecuador

United Nations, September 21 (Udaipur Kiran) : Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has commenced a series of high-paced diplomatic meetings at the United Nations ahead of the General Assembly's high-level session. On Monday, he met with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Ecuador's Foreign Minister Roberto Quiroz. Post his meeting with Le Drian, Jaishankar took to social media to emphasize the importance of regular meetings and teleconferences in maintaining the momentum of the special global strategic partnership between India and France.The discussions between the two leaders encompassed regional and global issues, including the crises in Ukraine and the Gulf region, as well as various multilateral topics such as reforms in the UN Security Council. Following his engagement with France, Jaishankar met with Quiroz, where they explored avenues for enhancing cooperation in energy, pharmaceuticals, people mobility, skill training, and development partnerships, as well as collaboration on multilateral platforms, including the UN.India and France elevated their bilateral ties to the level of a special global strategic partnership during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to India in February 2026. A joint statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Macron highlighted that this partnership would guide their cooperation in the coming decades, focusing on defense collaboration and joint development in the energy sector. Strengthening its engagement with the Global South, India has also been enhancing its relations with Ecuador, a resource-rich country located on the Pacific coast of South America.Key areas of collaboration between the two nations include technology and pharmaceuticals. In the past five years, India has trained 223 Ecuadorian professionals, while 813 individuals have received training through an IT excellence center established by India at a university in Ecuador. Furthermore, the export of pharmaceuticals from India to Ecuador constitutes a significant aspect of their trade relations.