Jaishankar meets 4 European FMs at UN, advances India-EU FTA and bilateral ties
Synopsis
On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, EAM Jaishankar held four European bilaterals in a single day — Netherlands, Finland, Slovenia, and Andorra — advancing the India-EU FTA set for formalisation in December, while also meeting CARICOM, Pacific Islands, and the L.69 Security Council reform bloc. It is a rare day of simultaneous European and Global South diplomacy that maps India's expanding foreign-policy footprint.
Key Takeaways
Jaishankar met four European foreign ministers — Netherlands, Finland, Slovenia, and Andorra — on 24 September 2026 at the UN General Assembly in New York.
The India-EU Free Trade Agreement , reached in January , is set for formal signing in December 2026 ; it featured in discussions with Netherlands, Finland, and Slovenia.
India and the Netherlands had upgraded ties to a Strategic Partnership during PM Modi's visit to The Hague in May .
Slovenia's FM Tone Kajzer announced plans for a sector-focused economic delegation to India.
Jaishankar also held multilateral meetings with CARICOM (15 members) , FIPIC (14 members) , and the L.69 group (30+ countries) pushing for UN Security Council reform.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held back-to-back bilateral meetings with four European foreign ministers on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on 24 September 2026, covering the Ukraine conflict, the upcoming India-EU Free Trade Agreement, and emerging areas of cooperation including technology, energy, and defence. The meetings were woven between three separate multilateral engagements with groupings of Global South nations.
Netherlands: Ukraine, Strategic Partnership, and the Hague Visit
In his bilateral with Netherlands Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen, Jaishankar said they exchanged views on the Ukraine conflict and followed up on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to The Hague in May. During that visit, India and the Netherlands upgraded their ties to a Strategic Partnership — a significant diplomatic elevation. Jaishankar shared the update directly on X (formerly Twitter).
Finland and Slovenia: EU FTA in Focus
Finland's Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen and Jaishankar exchanged notes on 'current geopolitical and technology challenges', with Jaishankar noting on X that bilateral relations and cooperation within the European Union framework 'remain strong'. With Slovenia's Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer, the conversation zeroed in on the India-EU trade deal. Kajzer posted on X after the meeting: 'We have an interest in strengthening bilateral strategic/political and economic/investment cooperation.' He also flagged plans for 'a visit to India with a sector-focused economic delegation'. Jaishankar noted they discussed energy, manufacturing, digital, connectivity, defence, and multilateral dimensions of the bilateral relationship as both sides move toward formalisation of the India-EU FTA in December. The agreement was reached in January; its signing is now pencilled in for December.
Andorra: Trade, Climate, and AI
In his meeting with Andorra's Foreign Minister Imma Tor Faus, Jaishankar said they covered trade and investment, climate change, and Artificial Intelligence, in addition to multilateral cooperation. The meeting with Andorra — while modest in bilateral volume — reflects India's broader diplomatic outreach across European nations ahead of the FTA's formalisation.
Global South Multilaterals
Alongside the European bilaterals, Jaishankar also chaired or participated in three major multilateral formats: a meeting with the 15-member CARICOM group of Caribbean nations; the 14-member Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC); and the L.69 group of over 30 Global South countries pushing for UN Security Council reform, at which the leader of the C-10 African group also participated. Together, these engagements underscore India's simultaneous cultivation of European and developing-world partnerships — a dual-track approach that has come to define Indian foreign policy under the current administration.
With the India-EU FTA formalisation due in December, the diplomatic groundwork being laid at the UN this week is expected to shape the pace and scope of the agreement's implementation across sectors.
Point of View
And Jaishankar is the instrument of that positioning. The December FTA formalisation will be the real test: sluggish implementation, particularly on services and data flows, has historically been the EU's weak link in trade deals with large emerging economies. Slovenia's planned sector-focused delegation is worth watching — if it materialises before December, it suggests European capitals are already moving to claim early-mover advantage in the post-FTA order. The L.69 engagement, meanwhile, keeps India's Security Council permanent-seat bid alive in the multilateral conversation, even as bilateral wins dominate the headlines.
NationPress
24 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which European foreign ministers did EAM Jaishankar meet at the UN on 24 September 2026?
Jaishankar met four European foreign ministers: Tom Berendsen of the Netherlands, Elina Valtonen of Finland, Tone Kajzer of Slovenia, and Imma Tor Faus of Andorra. The meetings took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
What is the India-EU Free Trade Agreement and when will it be signed?
The India-EU Free Trade Agreement was reached in January 2026 and is scheduled to be formally signed in December 2026. It covers trade in goods and services and figured prominently in Jaishankar's bilateral meetings with Finland, Slovenia, and the Netherlands.
What did India and the Netherlands agree on at an earlier meeting this year?
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to The Hague in May, India and the Netherlands upgraded their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership. Jaishankar and Netherlands FM Tom Berendsen followed up on that visit and also discussed the Ukraine conflict.
What multilateral meetings did Jaishankar hold alongside the European bilaterals?
Alongside the four European bilaterals, Jaishankar met with the 15-member CARICOM Caribbean group, the 14-member Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC), and the L.69 group of over 30 Global South nations pushing for UN Security Council reform, where the C-10 African group also participated.
What sectors did Slovenia's FM say his country wants to focus on with India?
Slovenia's Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer said on X that his country is working on 'a visit to India with a sector-focused economic delegation', with interest in strengthening bilateral strategic, political, economic, and investment cooperation. Specific sectors were not named, but Jaishankar separately listed energy, manufacturing, digital, connectivity, and defence as areas of discussion.
