Yesterday, 3 February, 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 by Sibi George, Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs. Prior to the consultations, Secretary George also met with the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jonatan Vseviov.
The consultations focused primarily on developing bilateral political and economic relations, as well as on developments affecting international security.
According to Undersecretary Roger, Estonia’s relations with India have intensified significantly in recent years, particularly in the fields of cyber and digital cooperation, education and trade. “India has emerged as an important strategic partner for both Estonia and the European Union,” Roger emphasised. “This is also confirmed by the agreement reached last week on the EU–India security and defence partnership and the free trade agreement. Once the agreement enters into force, it will create a free trade market covering nearly a quarter of the world economy and will open up new opportunities for Estonian companies in the Indian market.”
In September last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also hosted a successful India Export Day, bringing together business representatives from both countries. “The business seminar clearly demonstrated that the potential for cooperation between Estonia and India is high, ranging from the food industry to digital solutions, artificial intelligence and green technologies,” Roger noted.
Addressing geopolitical issues, the Estonian delegation stressed that for Estonia, upholding the rules-based international order is of central importance. “The principles of the UN Charter, such as sovereignty and territorial integrity, are not merely declarations, but the foundation upon which the international order and international law rest, and it is the task of every responsible state to uphold them,” Roger said.
He added that at a time when a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Russia, is waging a full-scale war of aggression for the fourth year against another UN member state, Ukraine, Estonia continues to support reform of the UN Security Council.
During the consultations, Undersecretary Roger also presented the priorities of Estonia’s chairmanship this year of the Nordic-Baltic cooperation format (NB8), focusing on continued support for Ukraine and increasing pressure on Russia, including curbing the activities of the shadow fleet, in order to achieve a just and lasting peace. Among other points, Roger highlighted the notable decline in imports of Russian crude oil to India in recent months, which in turn reduces funding for Russia’s war machine.
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