- Jaishankar meets Arab League chief in New Delhi talks
- India Arab Foreign Ministers Meeting set for January 31
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met League of Arab States Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit in New Delhi to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation across various sectors. The meeting focused on existing ties and future engagement between India and the Arab League. The talks took place as India prepares to host the second India Arab Foreign Ministers Meeting later this week.
After the meeting, Jaishankar shared details on social media. In a post on X, he wrote, “A warm meeting with Secretary General, League of Arab States Ahmed Aboul Gheit this morning. Had a wide ranging conversation about our cooperation and strengthening it across various domains. Also exchanged views on the recent developments in the region.” The statement highlighted the broad scope of discussions and the importance both sides place on regional developments.
Arab League Secretary General visit for India Arab meeting
Ahmed Aboul Gheit arrived in New Delhi on Thursday to attend the second India Arab Foreign Ministers’ and related meetings. Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs extended a formal welcome to the visiting dignitary. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X, “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.”
India is set to host the second India Arab Foreign Ministers Meeting on January 31. India and the United Arab Emirates are jointly hosting the meeting. Foreign Ministers from Arab League Member States will participate along with the Arab League Secretary General. The meeting will also be preceded by the fourth India Arab Senior Officials’ Meeting.
India Arab Foreign Ministers Meeting after ten years
The Foreign Ministers’ meeting is taking place after a gap of ten years. The first India Arab Foreign Ministers Meeting was held in Bahrain in 2016. During that meeting, leaders identified five priority areas of cooperation. These included economy, energy, education, media and culture. They also proposed activities across these areas to deepen engagement.
The Ministry of External Affairs noted the importance of the mechanism. It stated, “India Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is the highest institutional mechanism driving this partnership, which was formalised in March 2002 when India and the League of Arab States (LAS) signed an MoU institutionalising the process of dialogue.” The MEA also said, “A Memorandum of Cooperation was signed for the establishment of the 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 organisation. India is an Observer to the League of Arab States, a pan Arab body with 22 member States.”
Now you can get the latest stories from Indtoday on Telegram every day. Click the link to subscribe. Click to follow Indtoday’s Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram. For all the latest Hyderabad News updates and Follow us on GoogleNews
