Jaishankar says India-Venezuela energy ties gaining momentum

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Venezuelan, Belarusian and Mexican counterparts on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. He also met Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand and discussed bilateral ties and regional issues

New York: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday met his Venezuelan, Belarusian and Mexican counterparts on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, discussing bilateral cooperation and regional and global issues.

Jaishankar held talks with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia Gonzalez, with energy cooperation featuring prominently in the discussions.

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“ A good meeting with FM Felix Plasencia Gonzalez of Venezuela at UN HQ UNGA81. Our energy ties are gaining momentum, besides other areas of bilateral cooperation. We also discussed current regional issues,” Jaishankar said in a post on X after the meeting.

He also met his Mexican counterpart Roberto Velasco Alvarez and Belarusian counterpart Maxim Ryzhenkov on the sidelines of the UNGA and shared photographs from the meetings.

Earlier, Jaishankar met Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand in New York and said the two countries were preparing to take their relationship to a “higher level”.

“Always a pleasure to meet FM Anita Anand of Canada at UNGA81. A productive discussion as we prepare to take the relationship to a higher level,” Jaishankar said in a post on X.

Jaishankar’s meetings came a day after he asserted at the UN General Assembly that India would exercise its right to defend itself against terrorism, while accusing an unnamed country of misrepresenting facts before the world body.

“Yesterday, a serial practitioner of terrorism misrepresented facts before this assembly,” Jaishankar told the gathering.

“Our right to defend ourselves against terrorism will be exercised,” he added without naming the country.

Jaishankar said arguments had been made to normalise terrorism and claim immunity from its consequences.

“That will not stand,” he said.

He described state-sponsored terrorism with a cross-border dimension as a direct challenge to the global order and said governments engaging in such practices must be held accountable. He also called for terror financing networks to be exposed and countered.

“Friendship and goodwill cannot coexist with terrorism,” Jaishankar said, adding that the perpetrator of terrorism must change its ways. He called for continued zero tolerance towards terrorism.

The warning formed part of a wider address on peace, development and the pressures facing poorer nations.

Jaishankar also said the world was witnessing the “weaponisation of everything”, ranging from finance and market access to supply chains and technology.