Bilateral talks in New Delhi
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday highlighted trade, investment and financial cooperation as key pillars of India-Luxembourg relations during his meeting with Luxembourg Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel in New Delhi.
Bettel, who is also Luxembourg’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, arrived in India on September 7 for a three-day official visit. He is accompanied by Luxembourg’s Minister of Economy, Lex Delles. The visit will continue until September 9 and includes engagements in both New Delhi and Chennai.
Economic partnership at the centre
During the bilateral meeting, Jaishankar said the two countries’ relationship has expanded beyond traditional areas of cooperation, with economic engagement remaining at its core.
“Trade, investment, financial cooperation” are central to the relationship, Jaishankar said, while pointing to growing opportunities in space, digital technologies and green technologies.
The External Affairs Minister also described India-Luxembourg ties as a “very trusted relationship” and said the two sides now have the confidence to deepen cooperation further. (The Tribune)
Focus on supply chains and diversification
The discussions come at a time when governments and businesses are increasingly looking to diversify global supply chains amid geopolitical and economic uncertainties.
Jaishankar said India and Luxembourg could do more in areas including supply-chain resilience and diversification. The focus reflects the broader effort by India and its European partners to develop more reliable economic links and expand cooperation in emerging sectors.
The two sides also discussed cooperation in the health sector. Jaishankar recalled the collaboration between India and Luxembourg during the COVID-19 pandemic as an example of the wider partnership between the two countries.
Luxembourg backs India-EU FTA
Another important issue in the meeting was the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement.
Jaishankar welcomed Luxembourg’s strong support for the agreement and said its eventual entry into force could open new opportunities for the India-Luxembourg partnership. He noted that the FTA had crossed an important milestone and expressed confidence that it would create new possibilities for economic engagement between India and Europe.
The trade agreement is significant for India’s wider economic engagement with the European market, particularly as both sides seek to expand trade and investment ties.
Technology and new areas of cooperation
The India-Luxembourg relationship is also widening into technology-intensive sectors. Jaishankar specifically referred to cooperation in space, digital technologies and green technologies.
The two countries have also previously discussed areas including fintech, space and artificial intelligence, indicating an effort to build newer economic and technological links alongside established diplomatic relations.
Bettel’s Chennai engagements
Bettel’s India visit will move beyond New Delhi. According to the Ministry of External Affairs schedule, he is set to travel to Chennai on September 8, where he will visit IIT Madras and its Research Park before attending the inauguration of a new SES campus.
The Chennai programme is expected to provide an opportunity to examine cooperation involving research, technology and the private sector.
The latest meeting between Jaishankar and Bettel therefore comes as India and Luxembourg seek to broaden a relationship that combines economic, financial and technological interests. With the India-EU trade agreement moving forward and both sides exploring newer areas such as digital and green technologies, the September 7–9 visit provides another platform to deepen bilateral engagement.
