Jaishankar engages with EU leaders on socio-economic issues, climate change

The minister also held "positive and productive" parleys at the Foreign Affairs Council of the EU.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met top leaders of the European Union and held wide-ranging talks on issues, including economic cooperation, climate change and capacity building, that would "benefit both India and EU".

Jaishankar, who was in Germany during the weekend for the Munich Security Conference, arrived here on Monday to prepare the ground for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's planned visit for the India-EU summit here next month.

The foreign minister met EU Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen and the two leaders discussed experiences in capacity building and development partnerships.

"Coordination on these issues would be to the benefit of both India and EU," Jaishankar tweeted.

The minister also held "positive and productive" parleys at the Foreign Affairs Council of the EU.

"Thank the attending Foreign Ministers, Ambassadors & senior officials and most of all HR (High Representative) @JosepBorrellF. Looking forward to working together to strengthen this key partnership," he said.

Jaishankar also met EU Commissioner for Trade Phil Hogan and "exchanged views on the prospects for India-EU economic cooperation."

He appreciated President of the European Council

Charles Michel for his vision for the EU and Eu-India relations and expressed confident that "his (Michel) leadership can translate that into substantive outcomes."

Arun Jaitley likely to resume charge of FinMin today, to attend CCS meet

After resuming the charge, sources said, he would also attend a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security to discuss the Pulwama attack that killed at least 37 CRPF personnel.

Union minister Arun Jaitley, who returned from the US last week after undergoing medical treatment, is likely to resume charge of the Finance Minister on Friday, official sources said.

After resuming the charge, sources said, he would also attend a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security to discuss the Pulwama attack that killed at least 37 CRPF personnel.

In his absence, the charge of the Finance Ministry was given to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, who presented the sixth and the last budget earlier this month before the general elections.

General elections are expected during April-May this year.

Jaitley left for New York on January 13 after being reportedly diagnosed with soft tissue cancer., Subsequently on January 23, the charge of the Finance Ministry and Corporate Affairs was given to Goyal on temporary basis.

This was his first overseas visit after he underwent renal transplant surgery on May 14, 2018, at AIIMS.

He had stopped attending office at the beginning of April last year due to his kidney ailment and was back in North Block - the seat of Finance Ministry - on August 23, 2018. Even then, Goyal had manned the ministry for about 100 days.

Jaitley on September 2014 underwent bariatric surgery to treat weight gain that he suffered because of a long-standing diabetic condition.

Business Standard