Stage set for India-Arab Foreign Ministers meeting as India deepens engagement with region

New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS) Foreign Ministers and top officials of 20 countries have confirmed their participation for the India-Arab Foreign Ministers meeting (FMM) and 4th India-Arab Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) 2026 which will take place this week, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) highlighted on Wednesday.

The participating dignitaries will start arriving in India from Thursday, including from Palestine, Sudan, Egypt, Djibouti, Algeria, Comoros, Jordan, League of Arab States, Kuwait, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Somalia, Lebanon, Qatar, Syria, Libya, Mauritania, Iraq and Oman.

According to the MEA, India has traditionally enjoyed close and friendly relations with the countries that form Leagues of Arab States [LAS] also known as Arab League. These relations date back to ancient times when traders, scholars and diplomats would often traverse the Arabian Sea and the land routes linking India to West Asia and the Arab peninsula, transferring knowledge and merchandise. A shared cultural heritage, through the linkages of language and religion, continues to lend energy to these historic bonds.

The Arab League was formed in Cairo in March 1945, initially with seven members to promote the various interests of these nations. Currently, the League has 22 member states from the Arab world including countries from North Africa and Middle East.

"Today, the nations of the Arab League are part of India’s extended neighbourhood. India’s staunch commitment to deepen engagement with this region, shared views on major international developments, and strong economic and commercial relations, form the bedrock of India-Arab relations. Most of India’s external trade passes through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden. There are vital Indian investments in countries stretching from Oman and Saudi Arabia to Egypt, Sudan and beyond," the MEA states.

"The India-Arab trade relations have withstood the test of the time. Even during the covid pandemic and global geopolitical conflicts, the trade between India and the Arab world continued to grow. Today, it stands at over USD 240 billion. The Arab nations cater to about 60 per cent of India’s crude oil imports and more than 50 per cent of fertilizers and related products, making our partnership robust and indispensable. The partnership with the Arab countries goes across almost every aspect of human endeavour such as Food and Energy, Financial Services, Health and Education, Information Technology, Renewable Energy including start-ups and large infrastructure projects. Over 9 million Indian diaspora has made the Arab League nations their home and plays a vital role in the region’s progress and prosperity," it adds.

--IANS

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