New Delhi [India], August 10 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday congratulated the people of Ecuador on the country's Independence Day.

In a tweet, Jaishankar wrote, "Warm greetings to Foreign Minister Juan Carlos Holguin and the Government and the people of Ecuador on their Independence Day."India-Ecuador established diplomatic relations in 1969. The Embassy of India in Bogota is concurrently accredited to Ecuador. Ecuador initially opened its Embassy in New Delhi in 1973, which functioned till 1977.

The Ecuadorean Embassy re-opened in February 2005 and a Consulate General in Mumbai was established in 2013. In April 2018, then External Affairs Minister met the then Foreign Minister of Ecuador, Maria Fernanda Espinosa in Baku on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement Ministerial Conference.

In September 2018, then External Affairs Minister met the Foreign Minister of Ecuador, Jose Samuel Valencia Amores on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. On 12 October 2020, the External Affairs Minister and then Foreign Minister of Ecuador, Luis Gallegos held a telephonic conversation. Cooperation in areas of health, business, development partnership and consular issues were discussed.

India and Ecuador signed a Memorandum of Understanding for holding Foreign Office Consultations in 2000. So far, four rounds of Foreign Office Consultations have been held between the two countries in 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2014 (in Delhi).

Several Agreements/ Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) have been signed between India and Ecuador for cooperation in the fields of defence, economic and commercial links, technical cooperation and culture.

Ecuador has been appreciative of India's role in the UN and has supported UN reforms including reforms of the UN Security Council. Ecuador has expressed support for the permanent membership of India in the UN Security Council.

At the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Ecuador supported India's Safeguard Agreement in August 2008. Ecuador belongs to the G20 group with India in WTO. Ecuador had also supported India's candidatures to multilateral bodies. (ANI)