His remarks, after holding talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris, came in the face of a factitious geopolitical environment, including global concerns over the way the United States has carried out a military operation in Venezuela to capture President Nicolas Maduro

The external affairs minister said Europe is an important player in global politics and it is necessary that India strengthens its relationship with it

"I think it was a very conscious choice. It was a choice which reflected our belief that this relationship with Europe is really poised to grow, grow to the next level," Jaishankar said at a media briefing when asked why he was in Europe

The comments also came amid New Delhi`s frosty ties with the US after President Donald Trump slapped a whopping 50 per cent tariff on India

"And when I look back, even in the last few weeks, we have had discussions within India on matters dealing with Europe, the FTA (Free Trade Agreement), technology issues, semiconductors, railways, defence, aviation. So there is really a very substantive relationship, much more that can be done. But other than that, I think there is a larger discussion today that the world needs about the global order," Jaishankar said