On January 31, the second meeting of the foreign ministers of India and Arab states will take place in New Delhi. This event will occur ten years after the first meeting and will focus on deepening and expanding cooperation between India and the Arab world, reports News18.com
The second meeting of the foreign ministers of India and Arab countries (IAFMM) will be co-chaired by India and the United Arab Emirates, as stated in a press release from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. It will involve ministers from member states of the Arab League and the Secretary-General of the Arab League.
The first meeting took place in 2016 in Bahrain, where participants identified five key areas for cooperation: economy, energy, education, media, and culture. The second meeting is expected to build on previously reached agreements and deepen the partnership.
IAFMM is the highest mechanism for cooperation between India and Arab countries, formalized in March 2002 after the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Arab League. The Arab-Indian Cooperation Forum was established in 2008, and its structure was updated in 2013. India holds observer status in the League, which includes 22 states.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, this meeting will be the first to take place on Indian soil. Representatives from all 22 Arab countries are expected to attend in New Delhi, including foreign ministers, other senior officials, and representatives of the Arab League. The day before this event, the fourth meeting of senior officials from India and Arab countries will be held.
Before the event, the official spokesperson of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, extended greetings to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Sudan, Muhiddin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim, as well as to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine, Varsen Aghabekyan Shahin. He emphasized that the participation of the delegations confirms India's commitment to strengthening ties with the Arab world and developing contacts between peoples.
