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Post by : Rohit Dhiman
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a bilateral meeting with Slovenia’s Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly. The discussions focused on expanding economic and strategic cooperation between India and Slovenia, with the India-EU FTA emerging as an important area of discussion. Jaishankar said the two sides discussed emerging opportunities in trade and investment as India and the European Union move toward implementing the agreement. The meeting also covered energy, manufacturing, digital cooperation, connectivity, defence and multilateral issues. The meeting comes at a time when India and the European Union are moving forward with the next stages of their landmark trade agreement.
Trade and investment formed a major part of the conversation between Jaishankar and Kajzer. The two ministers discussed how the evolving agreement could create additional opportunities for businesses and investors on both sides. The European Commission has described the agreement as a major opening for bilateral commerce. It said the deal covers a large share of goods trade and is expected to reduce or eliminate tariffs across substantial portions of trade between India and the EU. For Slovenia, the agreement could provide additional opportunities for companies looking to expand their presence in the Indian market. According to an EU country factsheet, Slovenian exports to India were valued at about €160 million in goods and services in 2025, while 302 Slovenian companies were exporting to India.
The India-EU Free Trade Agreement has been under negotiation for several years, with talks relaunched in 2022 after an earlier pause. Negotiations were formally concluded in January 2026. The agreement still requires the necessary legal and institutional steps before it becomes binding. The European Commission has clarified that the published texts may undergo legal revision and that the agreement will become binding only after signature and completion of the required internal procedures. The agreement covers areas including goods, services, investment-related issues and market access. The European Commission has said that closer economic ties are intended to support trade, investment, industrial development, employment and more resilient supply chains.
Energy and manufacturing were also part of Jaishankar’s discussions with Kajzer. These areas are important to the broader economic relationship because both countries are looking at opportunities to expand industrial cooperation and strengthen economic links. The talks also included digital cooperation, reflecting the wider India-EU focus on emerging technologies and innovation. In July 2026, the EU and India held their third Trade and Technology Council meeting and agreed to strengthen cooperation in areas including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, 6G, clean energy technologies and resilient supply chains. For businesses, greater cooperation in these sectors could create opportunities for technology partnerships, industrial investment and cross-border supply chains.
Connectivity and defence were among the other subjects discussed during the Jaishankar-Kajzer meeting. The inclusion of these areas reflects the broader scope of India’s engagement with European partners, which increasingly extends beyond traditional trade discussions. Jaishankar’s meetings with European foreign ministers during the UN General Assembly have also covered technology, geopolitical developments, bilateral relations and wider cooperation. The discussion on connectivity can also have an economic dimension, as stronger transport, digital and commercial links can support movement of goods, services and investment.
The meeting comes after Slovenia appointed Tone Kajzer as its foreign minister earlier in 2026. Jaishankar had previously congratulated Kajzer on his appointment and expressed an interest in working together to strengthen bilateral relations. The latest meeting therefore adds an economic and strategic dimension to the developing engagement between the two countries. The India Slovenia relations agenda can now expand through trade, manufacturing, technology, energy and other areas connected with the broader India-EU partnership.
The discussions between Jaishankar and Kajzer take place as India and the EU move from negotiations toward the implementation process for their trade agreement. The European Union remains an important economic partner for India. The European Commission reported that trade in goods between the two sides reached €118 billion in 2025, while EU investment stock in India stood at €132.8 billion in 2024. Around 6,000 European companies were also reported to be operating in India. For Slovenia, the trade agreement could provide a framework for companies to explore opportunities in sectors such as chemicals, machinery, metals, services and agri-food products. The EU’s Slovenia-specific assessment highlights organic chemicals, iron and steel, machinery and mechanical appliances among existing Slovenian exports to India.
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Beyond economics, Jaishankar and Kajzer also discussed multilateral aspects of the relationship. Both ministers were in New York for the high-level session of the United Nations General Assembly, where India and European countries are engaging on a range of international issues. Jaishankar’s wider meetings during the UN session included discussions with foreign ministers from the Netherlands and Finland, alongside his talks with Slovenia. The discussions covered bilateral relations, technology, trade and broader international developments. The latest India-Slovenia meeting therefore reflects a broader effort to connect economic cooperation with technology, energy, defence, connectivity and multilateral engagement.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Slovenian Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer discussed trade and investment opportunities linked to the India-EU FTA. Their talks also covered energy, manufacturing, digital cooperation, connectivity, defence and multilateral relations.
The meeting took place in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly. The discussions come as India and the European Union advance the next stages of their Free Trade Agreement after concluding negotiations in January 2026.
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