New Delhi [India], May 21 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday extended his greetings to Montenegro on their Independence day.

Jaishankar also shared an old picture of himself with Montenegro Foreign Minister Ervin Ibrahimovic.

In a post on X, Jaishankar said, 'Warm greetings to DPM & FM Ervin Ibrahimovic, the Government and the people of Montenegro on their Independence Day. Deeply value our friendship and cooperation.'

https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1925056234958238183

Earlier the two leaders met on the sidelines of 79th UNGA (United Nations General Assembly) in New York on September 27, 2024.

'Nice to meet DPM & FM Ervin Ibrahimovic of Montenegro today on sidelines of UNGA 79. Our conversation focussed on advancing cooperation in business, health and tourism,' Jaishankar stated.

On October 28, India and Montenegro held the third round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) on Monday in Podgorica, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

The Indian side was led by Arun Kumar Sahu, Additional Secretary (Central Europe Division) and the Montenegrin side by acting Director General for Bilateral Affairs, Aleksandar Drljevic.

During the FOC, both sides reviewed bilateral relations and shared views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. Bilateral discussion encompassed a range of issues including political ties, trade, S&T, cultural relations, and people-to-people contacts. Cooperation between the two countries in international and multilateral fora was also discussed, the statement added.

Both sides agreed to hold the next session of the consultations in New Delhi on mutually convenient dates.

Notably, India's relations with Montenegro have traditionally been close and friendly since the days of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) of which it was a constituent republic.

Jaishankar had met the President of Montenegro, Milo Dukanovic, on the sidelines of the GLOBSEC 2022 Bratislava Forum in June 2022.

Both leaders noted the friendly ties between the two countries and the close cooperation in the multilateral fora. They discussed ways to expand our relations across sectors, especially in the areas of investment, culture, tourism and renewable energy. (ANI)