EAM S Jaishankar greets Serbia on Statehood Day during visit to Munich Security Conference | India News

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New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday greeted the government and people of Serbia on their State Day during his visit to Munich for the 62nd Munich Security Conference (MSC).The foreign minister earlier met Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Marko Juric on the sidelines of the conference on Saturday. In a post on X, Jaishankar said, “FM @markodjuric, greetings to the government and people of Serbia on their Statehood Day. Appreciate our long standing partnership.”

In an X post, Serbia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “Happy #Serbian #StateDay, #Sretenje! Today, we remember the historical moments that laid the foundations of our modern state and affirmed the ideals of freedom and constitutionalism. Proud of our heritage, we are building Serbia’s future on the principles of peace, stability and unity!”On the sidelines of the MSC, Foreign Minister Marko Jurić met with Jaishankar, with whom he discussed important issues for improving relations and global issues in a changing world, an official press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia said.The talks reaffirmed that India and Serbia share traditional friendship dating back to the era of the Non-Aligned Movement and are committed to further strengthening comprehensive and mutually beneficial cooperation, the press release said. Juric expressed satisfaction over the upcoming participation of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić at the AI ​​Impact Summit in New Delhi, highlighting the importance of high-level engagement in enhancing the relationship. He invited Jaishankar to visit Serbia in the near future.During the meeting, Juric thanked India for its consistent position on non-recognition of Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence and briefed the Indian side on recent developments in the EU-facilitated dialogue.The Ministers agreed that there is scope for strengthening economic cooperation and cooperation in areas of mutual interest. According to the press release, Duuric invited India to participate in Expo 2027 in Belgrade, expressing hope that India will be among the countries showcasing its culture and innovation at the international exhibition. The interaction marked another step in the ongoing diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Belgrade amid broader discussions at the Munich Security Conference.According to the MEA brief, India and Serbia (as part of former Yugoslavia) have traditionally enjoyed deep friendship as co-founders of the Non-Aligned Movement. The deep bond of friendship continued in the following decades, resulting in close and friendly relations between India and Serbia. In 2023, the two countries celebrated the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. India has given principled support to Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and has not recognized Kosovo’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI). India and Serbia share common views on many global issues and support each other on the international stage. To mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia and Serbia Post jointly issued a jubilee stamp in December 2023 as a symbol of friendship between the two countries. The image on the postage stamp is of the Victor Monument in Belgrade and the Statue of Unity in India.