NEW DELHI: The shared priority of advancing the Gaza peace plan, the conflicts in Sudan and Yemen, and the common threat of terrorism figured in the deliberations at the India-Arab foreign ministers’ meeting on Saturday, with New Delhi emphasising the need for concerted action to strengthen security and stability across the region.
The meeting, attended by 19 members of the Arab League including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait and Qatar, was only the second such meeting since the inaugural one organised in 2016 and was held against the backdrop of key security challenges across West Asia and churn on the geopolitical stage.
The delegates attending the gathering also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who described the Arab world as part of India’s “extended neighbourhood” that is linked by civilisational bonds and a shared commitment to peace, progress and stability. “Confident that enhanced cooperation in technology, energy, trade and innovation will unlock new opportunities and take the partnership to new heights,” he said on social media.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar, while addressing the meeting, said that taking forward the comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict, based on the UN Security Council Resolution 2803, is a widely shared priority. “Various countries have made policy declarations on the peace plan, individually or collectively,” he said.
Jaishankar pointed to the transformation of the global order due to politics, economics, technology and demography and said: “Nowhere is this more apparent than in West Asia or the Middle East, where the landscape itself has undergone a dramatic change in the last year. This obviously impacts all of us, and India as a proximate region.”
While the situation in Gaza has been the focus for the world community, Jaishankar noted other challenges in the region, including the conflicts in Sudan, which is “exacting a deadly toll on its society”, and in Yemen, which has an implication for the safety of maritime navigation.
“Then there is the concern about Lebanon, where India has troops committed to UNIFIL. Where Libya is concerned, all of us have an interest in advancing the national dialogue process. The direction of events in Syria is also critical for the well-being of the region,” he said, adding that the shared interest of India and the Arab nations required the strengthening of the forces of stability, peace and prosperity.
Jaishankar described terrorism as a common threat in both regions and called for zero tolerance for terror. “Cross-border terrorism is particularly unacceptable because it violates the basic principles of international relations and diplomacy,” he said, adding that societies targeted by terrorism have the right to defend themselves and it is essential to strengthen global cooperation to combat the scourge.
India has strong partnerships with all Arab League members, and the region has some of India’s largest expatriate communities, key energy sources, major trade relationships and emerging technology and connectivity initiatives, Jaishankar said. “We are crucial to each other when it comes to food security and health security,” he said.
West Asia is home to nearly 10 million Indians, with most of them concentrated in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Iraq and Saudi Arabia are among India’s top three oil suppliers, along with Russia.
The meeting explored an agenda for bolstering cooperation during 2026-28, including traditional areas such as energy, agriculture, tourism and human resource development, and new sectors such as digital, space, startups and innovation. “We will also be contemplating working together on counter-terrorism and parliamentary exchanges,” Jaishankar said, adding that India is keen to share its expertise in the people-centric application of tech-related advances.
Ahead of the meeting, the two sides launched the India-Arab Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture on Friday to take forward trade and investment ties.
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