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5,000 Years of Trade: Expert Highlights Deep India-Arab World Ties

Foreign affairs expert Waiel Awwad emphasized the five-millennia-old foundation of trade and knowledge exchange between India and the Arab world. He linked this deep history to the significance of the ongoing India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the first in a decade. Awwad noted that relations have been elevated since 2014, with leadership trust making India a key partner. The meeting aims to build on a cooperation framework established in 2002, focusing on priority areas like economy and energy.

Key Points: India-Arab Ties Span 5,000 Years, Says Expert

  • 5,000-year historical foundation
  • Current foreign ministers' meeting after 10-year gap
  • Relations elevated significantly since 2014
  • Focus on economy, energy, education
  • Institutional cooperation formalized in 2002
3 min read

"We have 5,000 years of business trade": Foreign affairs expert Waiel Awwad on India-Arab ties

Foreign affairs expert Waiel Awwad underscores millennia of exchange as India and Arab foreign ministers meet to deepen strategic partnership.

"We have 5,000 years of business trade, economy, and knowledge exchange - Waiel Awwad"

New Delhi, January 31

Foreign affairs expert Waiel Awwad on Saturday highlighted the depth of historical ties between India and the Arab world, underscoring the significance of the ongoing India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

Setting the context of long-standing engagement, Awwad, speaking in New Delhi, noted the geographical spread of Arab nations and their shared interests with India, saying, "There are 11 Arab countries in the North African side, and 11 Arab countries in West Asia and also in the Gulf region. Though we share lots of common interests with India, as in India, we always feel that bilateral relations do not stand just at the contemporary level. Actually, we talk of five millennia. We have 5,000 years of business trade, economy, and knowledge exchange between the two civilisations of Indian and the Arab world."

Linking this historical foundation to present diplomatic efforts, he emphasised the importance of the current engagement, adding, "This is a very important visit and a very important summit for India and the Arab world that is taking place, which also gives you an indication of how important the Indian government also feels that it is too close to the Arab world."

Reflecting on developments in recent years, Awwad pointed to the strengthening of ties since 2014, stating, "That said, since 2014, the Prime Minister has elevated relations between India and the Arab world to such an extent that he has been awarded the highest honour in every Arab country he has visited."

Building on this, he highlighted the importance of leadership-level trust, saying, "Therefore, if we can materialise and build up on that trust between the top leaders, that also gives us a good sign that India is one of the main trusted partners for the Arab world."

The current Foreign Ministers' meeting is taking place after a 10-year hiatus, marking a renewed phase of engagement between India and Arab nations.

Providing background to the process, the first meeting was held in 2016 in Bahrain, where ministers identified five priority verticals of cooperation: economy, energy, education, media and culture, and proposed a set of activities across these areas.

The second India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting is now expected to build on this existing framework, with a focus on expanding and deepening the partnership.

This dialogue platform represents the highest institutional mechanism driving India-Arab cooperation, which was formalised in March 2002 when India and the League of Arab States signed a Memorandum of Understanding to institutionalise the process.

Further strengthening this framework, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed to establish the Arab-India Cooperation Forum during the visit of the then Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa to India in December 2008, and was subsequently revised in 2013 to reflect a revised structural organisation. India is an Observer to the League of Arab States, a pan-Arab body with 22 member states.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
It's heartening to see this engagement after 10 years. The focus on economy, energy, and education is spot on. I hope this translates into more job opportunities for Indian youth in these sectors and easier business visas. The cultural exchange part is also exciting!
R
Rohit P
While the historical context is impressive, I hope the talks address current issues too. The welfare and rights of Indian workers in Arab countries need constant attention and stronger safeguards. Diplomacy must also benefit the common man.
S
Sarah B
As someone who has lived in Dubai, the people-to-people connection is already so strong. This formal institutional push can take it to the next level. Hoping for more direct flights and tourism packages between India and all Arab nations!
V
Vikram M
Good move. In today's multipolar world, strong ties with the Arab world are a strategic necessity. It's not just about oil anymore, but investments, technology, and counter-terror cooperation. The 5000-year reference gives a solid foundation to build modern partnerships on.
K
Karthik V
Respectfully, while summits are good, we need to see tangible outcomes. Let's hope this isn't just another diplomatic photo-op. Concrete progress on the five verticals—especially in education and media—should be publicly tracked. The hiatus of 10 years itself shows we can be inconsistent.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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