New Delhi: India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States (LAS), in New Delhi on Friday. The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation across various sectors between India and the Arab League member countries.
Jaishankar also held a meeting with Comoros Foreign Minister Mbe Mohamed, where both officials discussed collaboration in health, sports, infrastructure, and capacity building. They agreed on the importance of increasing dialogue between their countries.
Sharing details on social media platform X, Jaishankar said, “Had a good meeting this morning with Ahmed Aboul Gheit. We discussed ways to enhance cooperation and exchanged views on recent regional developments.”
Regarding the meeting with Mbe Mohamed, he added, “Pleasant to meet the Foreign Minister of Comoros. Our talks covered cooperation in health, sports, infrastructure, and capacity building, emphasizing the need for more frequent exchanges.”
Ahmed Aboul Gheit arrived in New Delhi on Thursday to participate in the second India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. The Ministry of External Affairs warmly welcomed the Egyptian diplomat and highlighted the significance of the upcoming high-level meetings over the next two days. These meetings aim to demonstrate a shared commitment to strengthening the India-Arab partnership across multiple domains.
Other foreign ministers attending the meeting included Palestine’s Warsan Agabekian Shaheen and Sudan’s Mohieldin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim, who also arrived in New Delhi on Thursday.
India is set to host the second India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (IAFMM) on Saturday. The meeting, co-hosted by India and the UAE, will include foreign ministers from various Arab League member states along with the LAS Secretary-General.
Prior to the IAFMM, the fourth India-Arab Senior Officials Meeting took place on Friday, setting the stage to further enhance existing cooperation and partnerships. Notably, this is the first India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in 10 years, with the inaugural meeting held in 2016 in Bahrain. During that first meeting, leaders identified five key areas for cooperation: economy, energy, education, media, and culture, proposing activities to advance these sectors.
The Ministry of External Affairs emphasized that the India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting represents the most significant institutional framework to advance this partnership. The formal institutionalisation began in March 2002 when India and the LAS signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a structured dialogue process.
These engagements reflect India’s ongoing efforts to deepen ties with Arab countries, fostering mutual cooperation and addressing regional developments.
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