During the 7th Indian Ocean Conference held in Perth, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with his counterpart from Madagascar, Rafaravavitafika Rasata, to discuss bilateral relations between India and Madagascar. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the conference, where the two leaders exchanged views on deepening the ties between their respective countries.
Taking to social media platform X, Jaishankar expressed his pleasure at meeting Foreign Minister Rafaravavitafika Rasata, highlighting their discussions on enhancing bilateral relations.
Additionally, on Friday, Jaishankar engaged in talks with Australian Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong on various global issues, including the Indo-Pacific and the situation in West Asia. The discussions began with warm exchanges between the two leaders, who emphasized the importance of strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between India and Australia. Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to fostering cooperation across multiple domains, with a specific focus on matters concerning the Indian Ocean region.
The 7th Indian Ocean Conference, held in Perth, serves as a pivotal platform for countries in the Indian Ocean Region to engage in consultative discussions. Organized annually by the Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration with the India Foundation, this year’s conference is co-hosted by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Australian Government, along with the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore, and the Perth-US Asia Centre in Australia.
Under the theme “Towards a Stable and Sustainable Indian Ocean,” the conference aims to address crucial regional issues and promote collaboration among nations and principal maritime partners in the region. Since its inception in 2016, the Indian Ocean Conference has played a significant role in facilitating discourse on regional cooperation for Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR), contributing to stability and sustainability across the Indian Ocean Region.
