New Delhi witnessed a significant diplomatic arrival on Thursday as Ahmed Abul Gheit, Secretary General of the League of Arab States (LAS), landed in the capital for the second India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. The Ministry of External Affairs extended a warm welcome to the Egyptian leader and seasoned diplomat, underscoring the deepening ties between India and the Arab world.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared the enthusiasm on social media platform X, stating, ‘Delighted to welcome the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Abul Gheit, to New Delhi for the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and associated consultations. The high-level conclave over the next two days reflects our shared commitment to a robust India-Arab partnership across all domains.’
Preceding Gheit’s arrival were foreign ministers from Comoros, Palestine, and Sudan—Mbè Mohamed, Warsean Agha Bekian Shahin, and Mohieldin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim respectively—all converging in Delhi for the pivotal discussions. This gathering marks a crucial juncture in regional diplomacy.
The India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting stands as the cornerstone institutional mechanism propelling this vital partnership forward. Formalized in March 2002 through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and LAS, it institutionalized dialogue processes. The framework evolved further in December 2008 during a visit by then-LAS Secretary General Amre Moussa, who signed another MoU establishing the Arab-India Cooperation Forum. This was restructured in 2013 to enhance organizational efficiency.
India maintains a strategic observer status within LAS, a pan-Arab body comprising 22 member states. These meetings foster collaboration on economic, security, cultural, and developmental fronts, reflecting mutual interests in a multipolar world. As deliberations unfold, expectations are high for concrete outcomes that bolster bilateral and multilateral engagements, paving the way for sustained prosperity and stability in the region.