New Delhi is gearing up for a landmark diplomatic event as it hosts the second India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on January 31. Foreign ministers from several Arab nations have already arrived in the capital, signaling a renewed push to deepen ties between India and the Arab world.
Comoros Foreign Minister Mbe Mohamed, Palestine’s Foreign Minister Warsen Agabekian Shahin, and Sudan’s Foreign Minister Mohiuddin Salim Ahmad Ibrahim landed in New Delhi on Thursday. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) warmly welcomed them, emphasizing how these visits will bolster bilateral partnerships and people-to-people connections.
India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will co-chair this high-level gathering, which will see participation from foreign ministers of all 22 Arab League member states, along with the League’s Secretary-General. This meeting, the first in nearly a decade since the inaugural one in Bahrain in 2016, marks a significant milestone as it’s being held in New Delhi for the very first time.
Back in 2016, the ministers identified five key cooperation areas: economy, energy, education, media, and culture. Roadmaps were drawn up for joint initiatives in these domains, laying the foundation for sustained collaboration. India holds observer status in the League of Arab States (LAS), which comprises 22 member countries.
Ahead of the main summit, the fourth India-Arab Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) is scheduled for January 30. This platform serves as the highest institutional mechanism to advance India-Arab relations, formalized through a 2002 MoU that institutionalized regular dialogues. Further strengthening came in 2008 with the Arab-India Cooperation Forum, refined in 2013.
The MEA noted that ministers and senior officials from 20 countries have confirmed participation for this meeting and the 2026 edition. As delegates converge, expectations are high for outcomes that could reshape economic partnerships, energy security, and cultural exchanges in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.