EAM Jaishankar meets Georgian leaders; agree to work closely to further bolster bilateral ties

India and Georgia, during the bilateral meeting discussed economic cooperation, tourism, trade and connectivity, said India's External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar. The minister made the remarks after holding a meeting with the Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Georgia David Zalkaliani.

New Delhi: India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Saturday met the Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Georgia David Zalkaliani. During the bilateral meeting both the leaders discussed economic cooperation, trade and connectivity, tourism and the entire gamut of the bilateral relations between the two nations.

Jaishankar had arrived in Georgia on Friday at the invitation of his Georgian counterpart David Zalkaliani. It is worth noting that External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar is the first Indian foreign minister to visit Georgia after its independence. Moreover, India was among the first countries to officially recognize Georgia as an independent nation on 26 December 1991 and established formal diplomatic relations on 28th September 1992. Later, in May 2000 Georgian Foreign Minister Irakli Menagarishvili visited New Delhi to meet the then EAM Jaswant Singh.

After holding a meeting with his Georgian counterpart, Minister Jaishankar said, “It was a very good discussion. We discussed economic cooperation, tourism, trade and connectivity. Our relationship is doing well. There are some big Indian projects in Georgia on card”. Jaishankar said he has invited Georgian leaders to India. “I invited him to visit India along with a business delegation. In India, people need to know more about Georgia, especially about its high ranking in ease of doing business. I am very hopeful and confident that my visit will be the opening of the new chapter”, he reiterated.

In conversation with ETV Bharat, Professor Harsh V Pant, Head Strategic Studies, Observer Research Foundation ( ORF), said, "India has been exploring relationships in various parts of the world and Georgia stands at the very crossroads of Europe and Asia. It is a very imp country geopolitically and India is finally trying to engage Georgia on a substantive basis".

Jaishankar's visit should be seen in the context of India's relationship with Russia, he added. "When Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov had come to India, he had visited Pakistan from India, which was a new development in the case of India-Russia relations. It seems that Russia is trying to create an equivalence between India and Pakistan when it comes to South Asia and of course, Russia's relationship with China is also evolving", he pointed out.

But I think just as Mr Lavrov went to Pak from India, Jaishankar's visit to Georgia from Russia is also an indication that India will reciprocate similarly, given that Georgia's relationship with Russia is not very strong. They don't have diplomatic relations, Prof Pant added.

He said, "The Indian Foreign Minister flying to Georgia from Russia is an indication of the fact that how India is signalling to Russia that its sensitivity should be kept in mind when engaging with it and that is something that is now increasingly part of India's larger foreign policy as well".

Jaishankar and Zalkaliani agreed to work to bolster the bilateral engagement between the two countries. Later, EAM Jaishankar called on the Georgian Prime Minister and held a comprehensive discussion of the bilateral relationship.

"There has been significant Indian investment here. 8000 Indian students study in Georgia. There are more than 50000 Indian tourists who come here. But we agreed that for all the progress that we have made, the potential to do more is very much there. And that potential would only be realized if our two Governments make a much-focused effort to do so. And I look forward to working with you and your cabinet colleagues in that regard, Jaishankar said during the joint press conference in Georgia after holding a meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.

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“As you noted there are big Indian investments in projects in Georgia. In the hydel sector, hydroelectricity sector, in the steel sector, in the power transmission sector. I also understood even in agriculture there are Indians who have invested here. But I think a lot of that is a reflection on your record of making it easier to do business”, he added.

“ I applaud your ranking, I am sure that if there was a wider appreciation of that in India you would see an even more enthusiastic business interest in India. So, we would very much welcome working together on the investment and trade side. And in turn, I would also mention that in India we have today new projects and schemes to encourage more manufacturing. We hope that Georgian companies who are looking out at Asia could consider that as well”, said Jaishankar.

Minister Jaishankar who is on a two-day visit to Georgia, expressed confidence that the discussions between the two countries have helped to chart a more ambitious roadmap for the relationship. Earlier today, External affairs minister S Jaishankar, met representatives of the Indian community from the country's Tsnori, Khaketi.

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"As I begin the day, nice to meet Indian Community representatives from Tsnori, Khaki. Their hard work in the agriculture sector has earned a good name, enterprising Indians is our global bridge," Jaishankar tweeted. On his arrival in Georgia, Jaishankar handed over the Holy Relic of St. Queen Ketevan to the Government and the people of Georgia at a ceremony in the presence of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia and the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili.

The martyrdom of St. Queen Ketevan is a story of courage and sacrifice. Her relics were taken to India by two devoted Augustinian monks who witnessed the last years of her life. One part of the holy relics remains in India as a reminder of the shared past. But the part which has now come back permanently to Georgia due to a decision made by Prime Minister Modi will surely inspire generations to come to this land. The presence of some of the relics in India and Georgia is a bridge of faith between the two countries.

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