 "India, Colombia to deepen engagement, explore new avenues of cooperation")
India and Colombia reviewed the existing bilateral relations including trade, investment, energy, IT, and identified new areas of cooperation, such as in defence, renewable energy and railways during the 10th round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in New Delhi.
Both sides also exchanged views on regional, multilateral, and international issues of mutual interest during the FOC on Tuesday, the Ministry of Externals Affairs (MEA) stated in a release.
The Indian delegation was led by Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary (East), while the Colombian side was represented by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jorge Enrique Rojas Rodriguez.
During the Foreign Office Consultations (FOC), the two sides undertook a comprehensive review of the existing bilateral relations including trade and investment, energy and infrastructure including railways, health and pharmaceuticals, traditional medicines, digital technology and space, consular issues, education and culture, and people to people relations, the MEA said.
Later, the Ministry of External Affairs Official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also said in a post on X, that discussions focussed on reviewing the existing bilateral relations and identifying new areas of cooperation, such as in defence and railways.
"Both the countries expressed satisfaction with the progress made across different sectors of engagement and agreed to not only deepen the ongoing engagement but also explore new avenues of cooperation," the MEA release said.
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India and Colombia have a long history of diplomatic relations, which were officially established on January 19, 1959. Both countries celebrated 60 years of diplomatic ties in 2019. Colombia opened its Embassy in New Delhi in 1972, followed by India establishing its Embassy in Colombia in 1973.
Over the years, the relationship between the two nations has grown stronger, with cooperation expanding across political, commercial, and cultural fields.
The Foreign Office Consultations mechanism, initiated in 1995, serves as a platform for regular dialogue between the two countries. The last round of consultations took place virtually on May 7, 2021. The meeting in New Delhi marks a significant step forward in reinforcing their friendly and dynamic relationship.