Valetta, March 29: India and Malta held the fourth round of consultations between their foreign offices in Valletta and reviewed bilateral ties. The two nations agreed to continue cooperation in sectors such as information and communications technology, healthcare, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, and education.
During the meeting, India and Malta discussed ways to deepen economic and commercial relations, particularly in light of the recently concluded India-European Union (EU) Free Trade Agreement (FTA), according to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday. The officials of both nations discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest and agreed to continue their cooperation in the multilateral domain.
In a statement, the MEA said, "In the consultations, both sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction at the steady progress in India-Malta ties, marked by the milestone of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2025."
"They welcomed the recent increase in bilateral engagement, marked by high-level visits. The discussions focused on areas of cooperation such as trade and investment, tourism, technology and innovation, the maritime sector, and cooperation in education and culture," it added.
Secretary (West), MEA, Sibi George and Christopher Cutajar, Permanent Secretary, Malta's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, co-chaired the meeting held on Friday.
During the visit, Sibi George met with Malta's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ian Borg, and discussed ways to strengthen the ongoing cooperation between the two nations while also expanding the scope of bilateral engagement.
George and Brigadier Clinton J O' Neill, Commander of the Armed Forces of Malta, also held a meeting and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral defence and security cooperation.
Sibi George also interacted with business leaders in Malta and discussed ways to further strengthen growing business ties, trade, and investment between the two nations.
The Secretary of the MEA also visited the St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta.
In a post on X, the Indian High Commission in Malta stated, "During his visit to Malta, Secretary (West) Sibi George, along with High Commission of India officials, visited the St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, a key historic site known for its Baroque architecture, which holds a central place in Malta's cultural heritage."
India and Malta share friendly and cordial relations. India was one of the first countries to recognize Malta's independence in 1964, and in 1965, it established diplomatic relations with Malta. According to the High Commission of India in Malta, India and Malta share a common heritage as members of the Commonwealth. Malta attaches high importance to the Commonwealth and hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2005 and 2015.