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Arab Ministers Gather in Delhi for Key India-Arab Partnership Summit

Foreign Ministers from several Arab League nations have arrived in New Delhi for the second India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting. The event, co-hosted by India and the United Arab Emirates, is the highest institutional mechanism for this partnership, last held in 2016. The meeting aims to build on existing cooperation across priority areas like economy, energy, and education. The participation reflects a shared commitment to deepening the strategic India-Arab partnership.

Key Points: India Hosts Second India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting

  • Ministers from Libya, Somalia, Comoros, Palestine, Sudan attending
  • Meeting hosted by India and UAE
  • First such meeting in a decade
  • Aims to expand cooperation across five key sectors
2 min read

Foreign Ministers arrive in New Delhi for second India-Arab meet

Foreign Ministers from Arab League nations arrive in New Delhi for the second India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting to strengthen bilateral ties.

"High level engagements over the next two days reflect the shared commitment for a stronger India-Arab partnership across sectors - Ministry of External Affairs"

New Delhi, Jan 30

Foreign Ministers from several countries have arrived in New Delhi on Friday to attend the second India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting, scheduled for Saturday.

The Foreign Ministers of Libya, Eltaher S M Elbaour and Somalia, Abdisalam Ali, arrived in the national capital.

Welcoming the Libyan Foreign Minister, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) took to X, stating, "His participation in the India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting (IAFMM) and engagements in New Delhi will build a positive momentum in taking our bilateral ties forward."

The MEA also warmly welcomed the Somalian Foreign Minister for his participation in the second IAFMM and said, "His visit will further deepen the cordial bilateral relations between India and Somalia".

On Thursday, the League of Arab States (LAS) Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit arrived in New Delhi to attend the second India-Arab Foreign Ministers' and related meetings.

The MEA extended a warm welcome to Gheit, an Egyptian politician and diplomat.

"Pleased to welcome H.E. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary General of the League of Arab States, who arrived in New Delhi for the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers' and related meetings. High level engagements over the next two days reflect the shared commitment for a stronger India-Arab partnership across sectors," MEA posted on X.

Earlier, Comoros Foreign Minister Mbae Mohamed, Palestine Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin and Sudan's Foreign Minister Mohieldin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim also arrived in New Delhi on Thursday to attend the second India-Arab Foreign Ministers Meeting.

India is set to host the second IAFMM on Saturday. The meeting, being hosted by India and the United Arab Emirates, will have the participation of Foreign Ministers from other Arab League Member States and the Arab League Secretary General.

The IAFMM will be preceded by the 4th India-Arab Senior Officials' Meeting on Friday.

The second India-Arab Foreign Ministers Meeting is expected to build on existing cooperation and expand the partnership.

The Foreign Ministers' meeting is taking place after 10 years, as the first meeting was held in Bahrain in 2016. During the first Foreign Ministers Meeting, the leaders identified five priority verticals of cooperation - economy, energy, education, media and culture and proposed a set of activities across these verticals.

"India Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting is the highest institutional mechanism driving this partnership, which was formalised in March 2002 when India and League of Arab States (LAS) signed an MoU institutionalising the process of dialogue," the MEA stated.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good to see India hosting such important meetings. Our foreign policy under EAM Jaishankar is really proactive. Building strong partnerships in our extended neighborhood is key to countering Chinese influence. Jai Hind!
D
David E
Interesting to see the wide range of countries attending, from the Gulf states to nations like Somalia and Comoros. India's diplomatic reach is impressive. Hope the cooperation extends to maritime security in the Indian Ocean region.
A
Ananya R
While this is good for diplomacy, I hope our government also pushes for more cultural and educational exchanges. We have so much shared history. More scholarships for Arab students in India and vice-versa would be wonderful.
S
Suresh O
The last meeting was in 2016? That's a long gap. These high-level engagements should happen more regularly, not once in a decade. Consistency is important for building real trust and getting projects off the ground.
K
Kavya N
Positive news! Hope they discuss increasing trade in rupees and local currencies to reduce dollar dependency. Also, collaboration on renewable energy and food security would benefit both regions immensely. 🌍

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