New Delhi, October 1 (Daily Kiran) : India and Bulgaria convened the seventh round of their Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) on October 1 in New Delhi. The meeting was co-chaired by Siby George, Secretary (West) from the Indian side, and Kristo Polendakov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from Bulgaria.
The nations share a long-standing, friendly relationship, with recent high-level exchanges strengthening ties. Bulgaria is recognized as a significant partner within the European Union.
During the consultations, both parties reviewed various aspects of their bilateral relations, including high-level exchanges, collaboration under institutional frameworks, and areas such as trade and investment, science and technology, artificial intelligence (AI), space, defense, education, culture, and public relations.
Both sides expressed appreciation for the ongoing progress in India-Bulgaria relations, particularly following Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar’s visit to Sofia in June, which provided new momentum. They reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation in emerging areas of mutual interest.
The discussions also highlighted that the recently concluded India-European Union free trade agreement (FTA) has opened a new chapter in economic and commercial relations. Both parties agreed to continue efforts for its swift implementation to deepen trade, investment, and technological ties.
Additionally, the meeting included exchanges on cooperation in multilateral forums and discussions on regional and global developments. The two sides agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Office Consultations on a mutually agreed date in Sofia.
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