Jaishankar's Diplomatic Tour: Reinforcing India's Gulf Partnerships

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held meetings with Gulf counterparts to review and deepen bilateral relations. He attended the first GCC foreign ministers' meeting in Saudi Arabia and discussed trade, strategic partnerships, and people-to-people ties. Jaishankar's next stops include Germany and Geneva to further bilateral relations.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar engaged in a series of diplomatic meetings with Gulf counterparts, aimed at enhancing bilateral relations and addressing regional issues. These discussions took place during his three-nation tour, beginning with Saudi Arabia, to attend the inaugural India-GCC foreign ministers' meeting.

The GCC, a significant group comprising the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait, saw its total trade with India hit USD 184.46 billion in the 2022-23 financial year. Jaishankar's meetings included high-profile discussions with Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, and counterparts from Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait.

Emphasizing strong people-to-people ties and trade relations, the Ministry of External Affairs highlighted that the GCC is home to around 8.9 million Indian expatriates. Following his Gulf visit, Jaishankar is set to visit Germany and Geneva for further diplomatic engagements.

(With inputs from agencies.)