India-EU ties in focus as Jaishankar starts 2-day visit to Brussels
The Hindu
Jaishankar's Brussels visit aims to strengthen India-EU ties post Free Trade Agreement, focusing on strategic partnership and regional issues.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Sunday (March 15, 2026) kick-started a two-day visit to Brussels for talks with his counterparts from member states of 27-nation European Union.
It is the first high-level visit from India to Brussels headquartered EU after the two sides firmed up a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in January.
The External Affairs Ministry said Mr. Jaishankar is travelling to the capital of Belgium at the invitation of EU High Representative and Vice President Kaja Kallas to interact with Foreign Ministers of the 27 member states of the bloc at its Foreign Affairs Council Meeting.
"During the visit, the External Affairs Minister will also hold meetings with the leadership of the European Union, and his counterparts from Belgium and other EU member states," the Ministry said.
"The visit of the External Affairs Minister coming soon after the historic 16th India-EU summit is expected to further deepen India's strategic partnership with the European Union," it said in a brief statement.
India and the EU sealed the free trade agreement — billed as the "mother of all deals" — following the summit meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the top EU leadership on January 27.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado criticizes the government's amnesty program as 'selective' and unjustly applied.
North Korea tests nuclear-capable rocket launchers, escalating tensions amid U.S.-South Korea military drills and regional security concerns.
Iran-Israel war LIVE: Follow the latest updates from The Hindu on the West Asia conflict and rising oil crisis on March 15, 2026
Three Iranian soccer players return home from Australia after seeking asylum amid escalating conflict in their homeland.
Israel condemns rising antisemitism in the Netherlands after a blast outside a Jewish school, urging stronger government action.
Though small in size, Kharg Island is the heart of Iran’s oil exports. Most of the country’s crude shipments pass through its terminals, making it a critical economic lifeline. Any disruption to the island’s facilities could sharply reduce Iran’s oil revenues and ripple through global energy markets, raising concerns about wider economic and geopolitical fallout.
Trump calls on nations to send ships to secure the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions and disrupted oil supplies.
Macron calls for direct talks between Lebanon and Israel, offering Paris as a negotiation venue amid escalating regional tensions.
Oil loading operations in Fujairah, UAE, suspended after a fire linked to a drone interception; no injuries reported.
Iran reports damage to 56 museums and historic sites amid ongoing conflict, raising concerns from UNESCO about cultural heritage.
In today’s world, marked by conflicts and weakening of international law, nuclear weapons look more attractive than ever as a means of deterrence.
North Korea launches a projectile towards the sea amid US-South Korea military exercises, raising regional tensions.
The Hindu profile on Kharg Island, Iran's vital oil hub, faces escalating conflict amid U.S.-Israel tensions, threatening global energy supply and prices.