On January 31, a second meeting of the foreign ministers of India and Arab countries will take place in New Delhi, continuing a dialogue that was interrupted for ten years. This event aims to deepen and expand cooperation between India and the Arab world, reports News18.com
According to a press release from the Ministry of External Affairs of India, the meeting will be co-chaired by India and the United Arab Emirates. It will involve not only the foreign ministers of the Arab League member states but also the Secretary-General of the Arab League.
The first IAFMM meeting took place in 2016 in Bahrain, and ten years have passed since then. At that meeting, five key areas for cooperation were identified: economy, energy, education, media, and culture. The second meeting is intended to continue discussions on previously reached agreements and deepen the existing partnership.
The IAFMM serves as the highest mechanism for cooperation between India and Arab countries, formalized in March 2002 with the signing of a memorandum between India and the Arab League. The Arab-Indian Cooperation Forum was established in 2008, and its structure was updated in 2013. India is an observer in the Arab League, which includes 22 countries.
The Ministry of External Affairs notes that this meeting is the first for the foreign ministers of India and Arab countries to be held on Indian territory. Representatives from all 22 Arab states are expected to gather in New Delhi, including foreign ministers, other high-ranking officials, and delegates from the Arab League. Prior to the main meeting, a fourth meeting of senior officials from India and Arab countries will take place.
In anticipation of the event, the official spokesperson of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, welcomed the foreign ministers of Sudan and Palestine, thereby confirming readiness to strengthen partnerships between India and the Arab world, as well as to develop contacts between the peoples.
