External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will visit Cyprus and Austria from December 29 to January 3. During his visit, Jaishankar will address the business and investment community of Cyprus and hold meetings with leaders from both nations, the Ministry of External Affairs said in the press release.

Jaishankar is scheduled to remain in Cyprus from December 29 to 31 and hold meetings with Cyprus counterpart Ioannis Kasoulides and House of Representatives President Annita Demetriou. He will also hold interaction with the Indian community in Cyprus, according to the Ministry of External Affairs press release. This year, India and Cyprus mark 60 years of diplomatic ties.

During his visit to Austria, EAM Jaishankar will hold a meeting with the country’s Chancellor Karl Nehammer. He will also meet the Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs minister Alexander Schallenberg. The MEA noted, “This will be the first EAM-level visit from India to Austria in the last 27 years, and takes place against the backdrop of 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2023.”

During his visit to Austria, EAM Jaishankar will meet with International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). He is also scheduled to discuss regional and global issues with the Foreign Ministers of Czech, Slovak, and Austria in the Slavkov format. He will also interact with the Indian community living in Austria.

“In Austria, EAM will also meet the Foreign Ministers of Czech Republic, H.E. Mr. Jan Lipavsky; Slovak Republic, H.E. Rastislav Kacer, along with Austrian Federal Minister Schallenberg in the Slavkov format. Discussions are expected to focus on regional and global issues,” Ministry of External Affairs said in the press release.

The statement further said, “This will be the first EAM-level visit from India to Austria in the last 27 years, and takes place against the backdrop of 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2023. Minister Schallenberg visited India in March 2022, and the two Ministers have met thrice this year on the margins of international gatherings (Munich, Bratislava and New York).”