External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a series of key bilateral meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Niagara, Canada, underscoring India’s growing diplomatic engagement and its role as a bridge between the Global North and South.

During the summit, Jaishankar met Scott Moe, Premier of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, where both sides discussed expanding cooperation in the areas of energy, food security, and fertilisers. “Value his warm sentiments towards our relationship,” Jaishankar posted on X, reaffirming the importance of strengthening India’s collaboration with Canada’s provincial leadership amid broader efforts to stabilise bilateral ties.

The Indian foreign minister also held a detailed discussion with Dr. Juan Ramón de la Fuente, Mexico’s Foreign Minister, focusing on advancing cooperation across multiple sectors including trade, business, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and science and technology. “A pleasure to meet FM Dr Juan Ramón de la Fuente of Mexico. Discussed further advancing our cooperation across business, trade, health & pharmaceuticals, and science & technology,” Jaishankar shared on X, reflecting India’s intention to deepen engagement with Latin America.

In a separate engagement, Jaishankar met South Africa’s Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola, reaffirming New Delhi’s close ties with Pretoria. “Nice to catch up with South Africa FM Ronald Lamola in Niagara today,” he wrote, highlighting the shared priorities between the two nations within multilateral platforms such as BRICS, IBSA, and the G20.

India’s participation in the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting comes at the invitation of Canada, which currently holds the presidency. Alongside India, other invited partners include Brazil, Australia, and South Korea. The discussions focused on critical issues such as global security, economic resilience, energy cooperation, and strengthening partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region—a key strategic area for India.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Jaishankar’s participation reflects India’s “continued commitment to working with international partners to address shared global challenges and to amplify the voice of the Global South in international fora.”

The External Affairs Minister is expected to hold additional interactions with counterparts from other participating nations before the conclusion of the ministerial sessions on November 12, reinforcing India’s proactive role in global diplomacy and its leadership in shaping a cooperative, multipolar world order.