External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held bilateral talks with Liberian Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti in New Delhi on Thursday, with both sides discussing ways to strengthen cooperation across a wide range of sectors.

Nyanti's visit to India comes as the two countries seek to expand their bilateral engagement in areas including technology, agriculture, healthcare, mining, energy, trade and investment, education and capacity building.

India-Liberia Ties Reviewed

During the meeting, Jaishankar and Nyanti reviewed the broader India-Liberia relationship and exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.

The discussions covered both economic and developmental cooperation, with particular attention to areas where India and Liberia can expand partnerships and share expertise.

Jaishankar later described his conversation with Nyanti as “productive”, highlighting cooperation on commercial shipping, mining, healthcare, agriculture, water and training.

Focus on Commercial Shipping

Safety and security of commercial shipping emerged as one of the issues discussed by the two ministers.

Maritime security remains an important concern for international trade, particularly amid disruptions and security challenges affecting major shipping routes.

India and Liberia also have potential areas of cooperation linked to maritime trade, given Liberia's role in global shipping and India's expanding focus on secure international supply chains.

New Liberian Embassy in New Delhi

Jaishankar also congratulated Nyanti on the inauguration of the new Embassy of Liberia in New Delhi.

The opening of the diplomatic mission is expected to strengthen institutional engagement between the two countries and provide a greater platform for expanding bilateral cooperation.

The embassy is likely to facilitate closer diplomatic, commercial and people-to-people ties between India and Liberia.

Cooperation in Key Sectors

The talks covered several sectors considered important for Liberia's development and India's engagement with African countries.

These included technology, agriculture, healthcare, mining, energy, trade and investment, education and capacity building.

Water management and training were also discussed during the meeting.

India has increasingly focused on development partnerships with African countries through capacity building, technical cooperation, education and skill development.

UNSC Reforms Discussed

The two ministers also discussed reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Jaishankar said the meeting focused on the need for long-pending reforms at the global body.

India has consistently called for an expansion of the UNSC's permanent and non-permanent membership, arguing that its composition should better reflect contemporary global realities.

Liberia, as an African country, also has an interest in broader representation of the continent in global decision-making institutions.

Strengthening South-South Cooperation

Jaishankar said India remains committed to strengthening South-South cooperation with Liberia.

The two countries are expected to continue exploring opportunities for collaboration in development, trade, technology and capacity building.

The meeting comes at a time when India is seeking to deepen its engagement with African nations through economic partnerships, development assistance and cooperation in emerging sectors.

The inauguration of Liberia's new embassy in New Delhi and the ministerial-level discussions are likely to provide further momentum to India-Liberia relations.