The plan to end the Gaza conflict emerged as a shared priority at the second India–Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held here on Saturday, as India and Arab countries reviewed a range of political and security challenges confronting West Asia.
Addressing the meeting, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the world is passing through a period of profound change driven by shifts in politics, economics, technology and demographics, adding that these changes have been most evident in West Asia over the past year and have had consequences extending well beyond the region, including for India.
The situation in Gaza, he said, has remained at the centre of international attention. Referring to diplomatic efforts held last year, including the Sharm el-Sheikh summit, he said those discussions led to a UN Security Council resolution and the outlining of a broader peace framework. Taking that process forward, he added, has now become a widely shared priority, with several countries making policy declarations either individually or collectively.
Placing Gaza within a wider regional context, Jaishankar said West Asia continues to face multiple conflicts that merit collective attention. He cited the ongoing violence in Sudan and its humanitarian impact, instability in Yemen with implications for maritime navigation, concerns in Lebanon where Indian troops are deployed under the UN peacekeeping mandate, and the need to advance political dialogue in Libya. Developments in Syria, he said, also remain critical for the region’s stability.
The minister said these challenges reinforce the need for India and Arab countries to work together to strengthen stability, peace and prosperity. He also identified terrorism as a shared threat, stressing zero tolerance for cross-border terrorism and calling for stronger international cooperation to combat it.
On bilateral ties, Jaishankar said India has strong partnerships with all League of Arab States members, many of which have matured into strategic relationships, supported by historical links and contemporary cooperation in areas such as energy, trade, food security and health.
He said discussions at the meeting would shape the next phase of cooperation under the India–Arab Cooperation Forum for 2026–28, including in sectors such as energy, agriculture, education and culture, while expanding collaboration in digital technologies, space, innovation and start-ups. He also referred to the launch of the India–Arab Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, saying it would complement bilateral engagement and strengthen economic linkages.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met a delegation of Arab foreign ministers, the Secretary General of the League of Arab States and heads of Arab delegations participating in the meeting.
On the sidelines of the ministerial, Jaishankar held a series of bilateral meetings with counterparts from several Arab League member states, including Comoros, Libya, Somalia, Palestine and Sudan, and also met Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit. The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation across trade, energy, capacity building, education, health and multilateral engagement, as well as exchanging views on regional developments.
In a meeting with Oman’s foreign minister, discussions centred on trade, critical minerals and the regional situation.
On Friday evening, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, speaking at the inauguration of the India–Arab Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, said shifting global trade rules make closer regional collaboration essential.
Singh said trade between India and Arab countries reached about USD 240 billion in the last financial year, even amid global geopolitical uncertainty. He noted that Arab nations supply a significant share of India’s crude oil and fertiliser needs, highlighted Indian investments in the region, and pointed to the role of the Indian diaspora in Arab countries as a key link between the two regions. He also identified agriculture, agri-technology and water conservation as future areas of cooperation.
Established in 1945 and headquartered in Cairo, the Arab League comprises 22 member states across the Middle East and North Africa. Its members include Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
