Oman FM arrives in Delhi for 2nd India Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting
New Delhi, January 31
Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi landed in Delhi for the 2nd India Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal said that Albusaidi's visit will strengthen the partnership between both nations.
In a post on X, he said, "Warm welcome to Foreign Minister of the Sultanate of Oman H.E. Badr Albusaidi to Delhi for the 2nd India Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting. His visit will further strengthen the multifaceted strategic partnership between India and Oman."
India is hosting the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting (IAFMM). The meeting is co-chaired by India and the UAE. Foreign Ministers of other Arab League Member States and Arab League Secretary General are participating in the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting, a statement by the MEA said.
The Foreign Ministers' meeting is happening after a gap of 10 years, the first meeting being held in 2016 in Bahrain. At the first FMM, the Ministers identified five priority verticals of cooperation: economy, energy, education, media and culture and proposed a set of activities across these verticals. The 2nd India-Arab FMM is expected to build on our existing cooperation, expanding and deepening this partnership.
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 institutionalizing the process of dialogue. A Memorandum of Cooperation was signed for the establishment of Arab-India Cooperation Forum during the visit of the then Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa to India in December 2008, which was subsequently revised in 2013 in terms of structural organization. India is an Observer to the League of Arab States, a pan Arab body with 22 member States, as per the MEA.
This is the first India-Arab FMM to be hosted by India in New Delhi and will see participation by all 22 Arab countries by Foreign Ministers, other Ministers, Ministers of State and other Senior Officials and Arab League. The IAFMM will be preceded by 4th India-Arab Senior Officials' Meeting on 30 January 2026, the MEA added.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see this partnership being revived after 10 years. The focus on economy, energy, and education is spot on. We need more student exchange programs and collaboration in renewable energy with these nations.
While the diplomatic engagement is welcome, I hope our government also pushes for better protection of Indian workers' rights in these countries. Meetings are good, but tangible outcomes for our citizens matter more.
Hosting all 22 Arab countries in Delhi is a big deal for Indian diplomacy. This shows our growing geopolitical importance. The strategic partnership with Oman, in particular, is vital for Indian Ocean security.
More than just energy, we should leverage this forum for technology transfer and investments in manufacturing. 'Make in India' can get a boost if Arab sovereign funds invest here. A good step forward.
The cultural and media cooperation vertical is interesting. We have so much shared history and cultural exchange potential with the Arab world that goes beyond business. Hope they discuss promoting tourism and film collaborations too!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.