Jaishankar Holds Bilateral Talks at Raisina Dialogue 2026 with Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Seychelles
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the 11th Raisina Dialogue (March 5–7, 2026) in New Delhi, meeting foreign ministers from Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Malta, Mauritius, Kenya, and Rwanda.
With Bhutan's Foreign Minister Lyonpo DN Dhungyel, Jaishankar reaffirmed India's commitment to deepening the unique bilateral partnership, with India's hydropower cooperation and Bhutan-India border connectivity central to discussions.
With Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, discussions covered bilateral ties and the regional situation, with India's flagship frameworks — Vision MAHASAGAR and Neighbourhood First policy — cited as guiding principles.
With Seychelles Foreign Minister Barry Faure, discussions focused on follow-up to a recent Presidential visit, underscoring India's maritime cooperation in the Western Indian Ocean.
The 2026 Raisina Dialogue's theme was "Samskara — Assertion, Accommodation, Advancement", and brought together representatives from 110 countries.
Raisina Dialogue: India's Flagship Geopolitical Forum
The Raisina Dialogue is India's premier annual conference on geopolitics and geo-economics, jointly organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) since 2016. Named after Raisina Hill — the location of the President's Estate and South Block (seat of PMO and MEA) — it symbolises India's aspiration to be a shaping power in global discourse.
The Raisina Dialogue's sideline bilaterals demonstrate how India uses multilateral forums to advance neighbourhood-first diplomacy at scale, holding multiple bilateral engagements in a single setting.
India-Bhutan Special Relationship
India and Bhutan share one of the closest bilateral relationships in South Asia — unique in the absence of a formal defence treaty yet deep in security, economic, and development integration. The foundational document is the India-Bhutan Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation (2007 revision), which replaced the 1949 treaty and gave Bhutan greater foreign policy autonomy while maintaining the security partnership.
The Jaishankar-Dhungyel meeting reaffirmed continuity in India-Bhutan partnership — particularly as Bhutan navigates its own border settlement talks with China that have direct implications for India's Siliguri Corridor security.
India-Sri Lanka Relations: Key Issues
India-Sri Lanka bilateral relations encompass multiple complex dimensions: Tamil fishermen disputes in the Palk Strait, debt relief and economic cooperation (post-2022 crisis), defence and maritime security, and managing Chinese infrastructure presence in the island nation.
The warm Jaishankar-Herath exchange on "bilateral ties and the regional situation" signals India's continued engagement with Sri Lanka's post-crisis recovery and the broader regional geopolitics of the Indian Ocean.
India-Seychelles Maritime Partnership
India's relationship with Seychelles is anchored in maritime security cooperation in the Western Indian Ocean and forms part of India's SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine, articulated by PM Modi in 2015. Seychelles, as an archipelagic nation with a vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of over 1.3 million sq km, is a strategic partner for India's blue-water naval presence.
India has gifted patrol vessels to Seychelles, established a joint surveillance agreement for the island's EEZ, and cooperated on hydrographic surveys. The Assumption Island project — a proposed joint India-Seychelles naval facility — was a point of bilateral friction (subsequently modified after domestic Seychelles concerns) but reflects India's intent to extend its maritime reach.
Key Details
- SAGAR doctrine (2015): India's vision for the Indian Ocean — security, economic growth, and sustainable development for all littoral states
- Seychelles EEZ: ~1.36 million sq km — one of the largest per land area in the world
- India's Dornier aircraft gifted to Seychelles for maritime patrol (2013)
- INS Sumedha gifted (2005); CGS Topaz — Indian-built Coast Guard Ship gifted
- Assumption Island facility: originally proposed 2018; Seychelles National Assembly rejected; MOU revised to accommodate concerns
The Jaishankar-Faure meeting's focus on follow-up to a Presidential visit signals active momentum in maritime cooperation — part of India's wider Indian Ocean archipelago strategy.
- Raisina Dialogue 11th edition: March 5–7, 2026; theme "Samskara"; 110 countries
- Organised by: ORF and Ministry of External Affairs; since 2016
- India-Bhutan 2007 Treaty: replaced 1949 treaty; full Bhutanese foreign policy autonomy
- Bhutan hydropower share of GDP: over 30%
- India Sri Lanka assistance during 2022 crisis: approximately $4 billion
- Vision MAHASAGAR: India's 2025 maritime cooperation framework for Indian Ocean Region
- SAGAR doctrine: 2015, PM Modi; Security and Growth for All in the Region
- Seychelles EEZ: ~1.36 million sq km
- Hambantota Port: 99-year Chinese lease (2017) — India's strategic concern