National/ International desk
10 September
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar held several high-level meetings with his counterparts from Gulf countries today, focusing on reviewing and enhancing bilateral relations. These discussions took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where Jaishankar is attending the first meeting of the Indo-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers. The GCC is a significant regional bloc that includes the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait.
India’s trade with GCC countries was substantial in the financial year 2022-23, amounting to $184.46 billion. Jaishankar met with the Prime Minister of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman bin Jassim Al Thani, who also serves as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Additionally, he held talks with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, and Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahia.
These meetings focused on reviewing progress in bilateral relations and exploring ways to strengthen cooperation. After his visit to Saudi Arabia, Jaishankar will travel to Germany as part of his three-nation tour.