Today, February 3, political consultations between Estonia and India took place in Tallinn. The Estonian delegation was led by Undersecretary for Political Affairs Martin Roger, and the Indian delegation was led by Undersecretary for Western Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sibi George. Prior to the consultations, Undersecretary George also met with Secretary General of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jonatan Vseviov.
The consultations focused primarily on the development of bilateral political and economic relations and developments concerning international security.
According to Undersecretary Roger, Estonia’s relations with India have intensified significantly in recent years, especially in the areas of cyber and digital cooperation, education and trade. “India has become an important strategic partner for both Estonia and the European Union,” Roger emphasized. “This is also confirmed by the agreement reached last week on the EU-India Security and Defence Partnership and the Free Trade Agreement. When the agreement enters into force, a free trade market will be created, covering almost a quarter of the world’s economy and opening up new opportunities for Estonian companies in the Indian market.”
Last September, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also hosted a successful India Export Day, which brought together entrepreneurs from both countries. “The business seminar clearly showed that the potential for cooperation between Estonia and India is high, from the food industry to digital solutions, artificial intelligence and green technologies,” Roger noted.
When discussing geopolitical issues, the Estonian delegation stressed that maintaining a rules-based international order is central to Estonia. “The principles of the UN Charter, such as sovereignty and territorial integrity, are not mere declarations, but the foundation on which international order and law are based, and which it is the duty of every responsible state to stand up for,” Roger said.
He added that in a situation where a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Russia, has been waging a full-scale war of aggression against another UN member state, Ukraine, for the fourth year, Estonia continues to support the reform of the UN Security Council.
During the consultations, Undersecretary Roger also introduced the priorities of Estonia’s presidency of the Nordic-Baltic Cooperation Format (NB8) this year, which focus on consistent support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia, including by preventing the activities of the shadow fleet, in order to achieve a just and lasting peace. Among other things, Roger highlighted that in recent months, Russian crude oil imports to India have significantly decreased, which in turn reduces the financing of the Russian war machine.