MINSK, 26 January (BelTA) - The commercial relationship is no longer just bilateral but is embedded in major multilateral frameworks like BRICS, EAEU and SCO, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to the Republic of Belarus Ashok Kumar said in an interview with BelTA on the occasion of the national holiday - Republic Day, which the country celebrates on 26 January.
“India assumed the BRICS presidency for 2026. In late 2025, India and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), of which Belarus is a founding member, signed a binding framework to initiate formal free-trade agreement (FTA) negotiations. Following India’s support, Belarus is now a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), facilitating smoother regional trade logistics. Therefore, I have mentioned a number of avenues for enhancing our trade and investment cooperation. The need of the hour is to strengthen various institutions and facilitate our business community,” Ambassador Ashok Kumar said.
The Ambassador highlighted the importance of ministerial interaction as a significant factor in the development of comprehensive Belarusian-Indian relations. “The Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between the Republic of India and the Republic of Belarus serve as a crucial mechanism for maintaining and strengthening bilateral ties. These regular, high-level diplomatic meetings review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, including political, economic, trade, defense, and cultural cooperation. After the 7th FOC in August 2022 in New Delhi, the most recent 8th round of consultations took place on October 27, 2025, in Minsk,” he noted.
The Ambassador emphasized that discussions were focused on intensifying bilateral contacts amid current global geopolitical turbulence, reinforcing mutual trust, and strengthening cooperation, particularly within multilateral frameworks like the SCO, BRICS, and EAEU Significant attention was given to expanding bilateral trade and also to contacts in the fields of industry, mechanical engineering, and technology transfer.-
“India assumed the BRICS presidency for 2026. In late 2025, India and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), of which Belarus is a founding member, signed a binding framework to initiate formal free-trade agreement (FTA) negotiations. Following India’s support, Belarus is now a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), facilitating smoother regional trade logistics. Therefore, I have mentioned a number of avenues for enhancing our trade and investment cooperation. The need of the hour is to strengthen various institutions and facilitate our business community,” Ambassador Ashok Kumar said.
The Ambassador highlighted the importance of ministerial interaction as a significant factor in the development of comprehensive Belarusian-Indian relations. “The Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between the Republic of India and the Republic of Belarus serve as a crucial mechanism for maintaining and strengthening bilateral ties. These regular, high-level diplomatic meetings review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, including political, economic, trade, defense, and cultural cooperation. After the 7th FOC in August 2022 in New Delhi, the most recent 8th round of consultations took place on October 27, 2025, in Minsk,” he noted.
The Ambassador emphasized that discussions were focused on intensifying bilateral contacts amid current global geopolitical turbulence, reinforcing mutual trust, and strengthening cooperation, particularly within multilateral frameworks like the SCO, BRICS, and EAEU Significant attention was given to expanding bilateral trade and also to contacts in the fields of industry, mechanical engineering, and technology transfer.-
Follow us on:
