New Delhi

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday spoke with Ireland's Foreign Minister Helen McEntee, extending India's best wishes as Ireland prepares to assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the next six months.

During the conversation, the two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen India-Ireland relations, with particular emphasis on expanding cooperation in trade and education, while reaffirming their commitment to working together in multilateral forums.

Sharing details of the discussion on X, Jaishankar said he had congratulated Ireland on taking over the EU Council presidency and expressed confidence that bilateral engagement would continue to grow across key sectors.

McEntee, in a separate post on X, said Ireland's presidency would focus on boosting the European Union's competitiveness while enhancing security across the bloc.

Ireland will formally assume the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union on July 1. The six-month term, which runs until December 2026, places the country at the centre of the EU's legislative and policy coordination process, where it will chair negotiations, facilitate consensus among member states and steer discussions on key European legislation affecting more than 450 million citizens.

This will be the eighth time Ireland has held the presidency, having previously served in 1975, 1979, 1984, 1990, 1996, 2004 and 2013.

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According to the Irish government's plans, the presidency will focus on five broad priorities. These include simplifying regulations by reducing administrative burdens through legislative reform packages, strengthening the EU single market by removing barriers and advancing digital transformation, expanding trade ties with reliable international partners, addressing Europe's ongoing energy challenges, and enhancing the bloc's capabilities in cloud computing and artificial intelligence to reinforce its leadership in digital governance.