India, Czech Republic discuss trade, people-to-people ties at FOC

The Foreign Office Consultations held in New Delhi Wednesday were co-chaired by MEA's Joint Secretary (Central Europe) M. Anand Prakash and Katerina Sequensova from the Czech government.

Flags of India and Czech Republic | Reuters

New Delhi: India and the Czech Republic held their eighth round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in New Delhi Wednesday. The consultations were co-chaired by M. Anand Prakash, joint secretary (Central Europe) for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, and Katerina Sequensova, director general of the Non-European Countries, Economic and Development Cooperation Section for the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The FOC reviewed bilateral relations since the partnership was elevated to a Strategic Partnership on Innovation during the Czech prime minister’s visit to India in January 2024. Both countries noted progress in various sectors, including political exchanges, trade and investment, scientific and technological cooperation, defense partnership and people-to-people contacts, including student mobility, a PIB release elaborated. Discussions also covered regional and global issues of mutual interest, highlighting the strong alignment between the two countries’ perspectives. In addition to the FOC, Sequensova met with Tanmaya Lal, secretary (West) for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, to discuss all aspects of the bilateral relationship, as well as regional and global developments.

The two countries agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Office Consultations in Prague at a mutually agreeable time.