India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Saar, in Germany to discuss several important issues. Their conversation covered the situation in West Asia and President Donald Trump’s vision of connecting Asia, Europe, and the United States through Israel.

The two leaders held their meeting on Saturday (February 15) during the Munich Security Conference, a prominent global forum for discussing security and diplomatic matters.

Jaishankar and Saar discussed three key issues during their meeting in Germany:

Situation in West Asia: They exchanged views on the current regional situation, particularly concerning ongoing conflicts and security challenges.

While the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas is in effect, the situation remains fragile, with concerns about the sustainability of the ceasefire and the enormous challenges of reconstruction and addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Trump’s vision for a trade route: Trump has suggested connecting Asia, Europe, and the US through Israel. The two foreign ministers discussed the strategic infrastructure project aimed at linking India to Europe via Israel, enhancing trade and connectivity.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump had said following his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “We agreed to work together to help build one of the greatest trade routes in all of history. It will run from India to Israel to Italy and onward to the United States connecting our partners by ports, railways and undersea cables. Many many undersea cables.”

Challenges posed by Houthi and Iranian attacks on trade routes: The two addressed the threats to maritime security, particularly Houthi attacks on ships in the Bab-el-Mandeb area, which have impacted global trade.

Since November 2023, Houthi forces have conducted over 100 attacks on shipping in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Many shipping companies have diverted their routes from the Suez Canal to the Cape of Good Hope, increasing voyage lengths by 10-12 days and adding a big premium to overall shipping costs, according to BBC.

With inputs from agencies

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3 key things EAM Jaishankar, Israel’s Gideon Saar discussed during their meeting in Germany