New Delhi [India], November 14 (ANI): Foreign Minister of Belarus Maxim Ryzhenkov will visit India from November 15 to 18, during which he will participate in the 12th Meeting of the Belarus-India Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation in the Fields of Trade, Economy, Science, Technology and Culture.
He will also be holding meetings with Indian officials and interacting with members of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday, Ryzhenkov will arrive in New Delhi on November 15.
On November 16, the Belarusian Foreign Minister will attend the 12th Meeting of the Belarus-India Intergovernmental Commission at Vanijya Bhavan, with the participation of Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada.
Later in the day, Ryzhenkov is scheduled to participate in a roundtable interaction with CII members at the India Habitat Centre.
On November 17, the Belarusian Foreign Minister will meet Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh and is scheduled to depart India on November 18, the MEA statement said.
The upcoming visit follows a meeting between Ryzhenkov and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in September.
In a post on X, the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted the progress in bilateral ties, stating, "Strong momentum in Belarus-India relations: Belarus FM Maxim Ryzhenkov meets India External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on the sidelines of BRICS Summit. Bilateral trade crossed $1bn, work begins on the 2026–2030 roadmap, and Belarus introduces e-visas for Indian nationals alongside plans for new direct flight connections."
India and Belarus share traditionally warm and cordial bilateral relations, with India being among the first countries to recognise Belarus as an independent nation in 1991. Formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1992, when India opened its diplomatic mission in Minsk. India's first resident Ambassador joined in January 1993, while Belarus opened its Embassy in New Delhi in 1998.
The two countries have developed a comprehensive partnership and established several institutional mechanisms to facilitate exchanges on bilateral, regional and multilateral issues. These include Foreign Office Consultations, the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) and the Joint Commission on Military Technical Cooperation, along with other thematic bilateral mechanisms.
The Indian community in Belarus comprises around 99 permanent residents and 1,276 temporary residents, including 846 students, most of whom are pursuing medical studies at state medical universities in the country.
Belarus is also part of India's e-visa programme. Direct flights between Minsk and Delhi were launched by Belavia in August 2023.
Ryzhenkov's visit comes as the two countries continue to engage through established bilateral mechanisms, with the upcoming intergovernmental commission meeting focusing on cooperation across trade, economy, science, technology and culture. (ANI)
Belarus FM Ryzhenkov to visit India from Nov 15-18; to attend intergovernmental commission meeting
