In first meeting with PM Modi, Estonian President spotlights India's significant role in international arena (Lead)

Paris, Feb 11 (IANS) Estonian President Alar Karis on Tuesday emphasised India's important role in the international arena during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Artificial Intelligence Summit in Paris. 

In what was their first meeting, the two leaders discussed the ongoing bilateral cooperation in the field of cybersecurity and also the ongoing global conflicts.

They underlined that warm and friendly relations between India and Estonia are based on the two countries' shared commitment to democracy, rule of law and the values of freedom and pluralism.

According to a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) after the meeting, the two leaders expressed satisfaction at the growing bilateral cooperation in various fields, including trade and investment, IT and digital, culture, tourism and people-to-people ties.

Prime Minister Modi invited the Estonian government and companies to explore the opportunities offered by the India growth story and take advantage of programmes such as Digital India.

"The two leaders noted the importance of the India-Estonia partnership also in the context of the India-EU strategic partnership. They welcomed the initiation of ministerial exchanges in the India-Nordic-Baltic format. The leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, and cooperation at the United Nations," the statement detailed.

PM Modi and the President of Estonia expressed satisfaction at the growing cultural and people-to-people ties between the two countries.

"In this regard, the PM appreciated the popularity of Yoga in Estonia," the PMO stated.

Bilateral relations between Estonia and India have gained momentum in recent years, asserted President Karis during the meeting.

"We already have good cooperation in the areas of e-governance, cybersecurity and digital government services, but I see opportunities to further intensify this and I hope that the Estonian ICT sector will be able to adapt and offer suitable solutions to Indian partners," he said.

Karis noted that in 2023, the Estonian e-Government Academy contributed to the renewal of India's national ICT strategy, which is a good basis for further cooperation.

Besides discussing cooperation between Estonia and India in the digital field, the Estonian President also spoke about strengthening international security.

While discussing the Russia-Ukraine war, the Estonian Head of State emphasised India's important role in the international arena and stressed the importance of adhering to international law.

"The meeting also addressed compliance with sanctions against Russia and discussed the threats posed by North Korea's deployment of soldiers to Ukraine, which, according to President Karis, links the Indo-Pacific region to European security," read a statement issued by the Estonian President's office after the meeting.