Luxembourg City: Highlighting the role played by the Indian community in Luxembourg’s growth across technical, digital and finance sectors, the European nation’s Deputy Prime Minister Xavier Bettel in January called for deepening ties with India.

Warm Welcome

In his opening remarks during a meeting with visiting External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, Bettel recalled his earlier visits to India as a Member of Parliament and later as Foreign Minister.

Extending a warm welcome to EAM Jaishankar, he said, “I want to welcome Dr Jaishankar to Luxembourg and I just wanted to say that I like people who say something but also are doing it. You told me last year when we met in Delhi that you would come and visit Luxembourg and you are here. I appreciate that very much. And for us the relations between both countries have a long history… 1948, you have to know that… India has the 10th biggest largest community in Luxembourg.”

Longstanding Engagement

“I had the opportunity to visit India when I was Member of Parliament. I came also as a Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Raisina Summit. I hope that soon we will be able to come back for one of the other occasions we will speak later about that topic. I believe that we have to deepen the relations between Luxembourg and India but also and as a Member of the European Union between Europe and India. I belong to the one that really believes that India is a partner and we have to see how we can deepen that partnership…” he added.

Technology And Talent

Bettel expressed confidence that ties between India and Luxembourg would deepen following discussions with EAM Jaishankar. “When I see also, I have to tell you that the technical growth of my country would not be the same without the Indian knowledge… I also see digital when I see finance, when I see space, I could continue the list of the collaborations that we have and I am confident that after the discussions that we have today, we will be able to deepen the relations… Just to tell you that our Embassy in Delhi is as big as the one with the staff as Washington… You know how big the relations and the friendship between both countries are,” he said.