New Delhi,31st Jan: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met a high-level delegation comprising Foreign Ministers of Arab countries, the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, and heads of Arab delegations, who are in India for the second India–Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (IAFMM).
During the interaction, Prime Minister Modi underscored the deep-rooted and historic people-to-people ties between India and the Arab world, noting that these enduring connections have continued to strengthen bilateral relations over the years.
In a post on X after the meeting, the Prime Minister said the Arab world is an integral part of India’s extended neighbourhood, bound by deep civilisational links, vibrant people-to-people exchanges, and enduring brotherly relations, along with a shared commitment to peace, progress, and stability. He expressed confidence that enhanced cooperation in areas such as technology, energy, trade, and innovation would unlock new opportunities and elevate the partnership to greater heights.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Prime Minister Modi outlined his vision for the India–Arab partnership in the coming years and reaffirmed India’s commitment to further deepening cooperation in trade and investment, energy, technology, healthcare, and other priority sectors for the mutual benefit of the peoples of both regions.
The Prime Minister also reiterated India’s continued support for the people of Palestine and welcomed ongoing peace efforts, including the Gaza peace plan. He conveyed appreciation for the Arab League’s role in promoting regional peace and stability, the MEA said in a statement.
India on Saturday hosted the second edition of the India–Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which witnessed participation from all 22 Arab countries through Foreign Ministers, other Ministers, Ministers of State, senior officials, and representatives of the Arab League. The meeting was preceded by the fourth India–Arab Senior Officials’ Meeting held on Friday.
The Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was co-chaired by India and the United Arab Emirates and was held after a gap of ten years, with the first such meeting taking place in 2016 in Bahrain. During the inaugural meeting, five priority areas of cooperation were identified—economy, energy, education, media, and culture—along with a roadmap of activities across these sectors.
The MEA noted that the India–Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is the highest institutional mechanism guiding the partnership, which was formalised in March 2002 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between India and the League of Arab States to institutionalise dialogue. India currently holds observer status in the Arab League, a pan-Arab organisation with 22 member states.
—IANS
