Minsk, Oct 28 (NationPress) The Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Sibi George, spoke at the third Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security on Tuesday, sharing India's perspectives on various regional and global issues of shared interest.

Delegates from over 40 nations and seven international organizations convened in Belarus for the two-day conference that kicked off on Tuesday.

Both Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov provided remarks during the event.

A statement from the Belarus Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated, "The conference aims to facilitate an open and inclusive dialogue regarding the future of Eurasian security amidst the current global order crisis, ongoing military and political tensions among key global players, and the significant communication gap between them."

Earlier that day, India and Belarus engaged in the eighth round of Foreign Office Consultations in Minsk, where they addressed a wide array of bilateral relations encompassing political, economic, cultural, tourism, education, and consular matters.

The Belarus Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the discussions included enhancing political dialogue, boosting mutual trade and industrial collaboration, expanding the legal frameworks, and bilateral cooperation within international entities such as the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and BRICS. They also emphasized promoting direct bilateral interactions in humanitarian sectors.

"The parties acknowledged the notable strengthening of bilateral ties amid the current geopolitical challenges worldwide, reflecting a high degree of mutual trust and support, and serving as a foundation for further deepening and broadening bilateral relations," stated the Belarus Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the discussions, officials from both nations addressed several urgent matters on the regional and global agenda. The Indian delegation was led by Secretary (West) Sibi George, while the Belarusian side was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Evgeny Shestakov.

The eighth round of India-Belarus Foreign Office Consultations, co-chaired by Secretary (West) Sibi George and Deputy Foreign Minister Evgeny Shestakov, took place in Minsk. Both sides deliberated on the full spectrum of bilateral relations, including political, economic, cultural, tourism, education, and consular aspects. They also exchanged perspectives on regional and global topics of mutual concern, as shared by MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on X.

Sibi George also met with Belarus Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Ryzhenkov during his visit. Additionally, he interacted with Indian students pursuing medical studies at the Belarusian State Medical University (BSMU) and met with BSMU Rector Sergei Rubnikovich.

The Indian Embassy in Belarus reported, "Secretary (West) Ambassador Sibi George engaged with Indian medical students at BSMU, and also met with Rector Sergei Rubnikovich, who reiterated their commitment to student welfare and academic excellence."

Furthermore, George, together with Belarusian State University Rector Andrei D Carol and India’s Ambassador to Belarus Ashok Kumar, paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Belarusian State University.