Jaishankar Meets Saudi, Qatari Counterparts, Focuses On Strengthening India-GCC Ties

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met his counterparts from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, taking stock of the progress of bilateral relations and discussing ways to further deepen them.

Jaishankar arrived here in the Saudi capital on Sunday on a two-day visit to attend the first India-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers’ meeting. He met Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and discussed the ”progress” in the bilateral relations.

”Delighted to meet FM @FaisalbinFarhan of Saudi Arabia today in Riyadh. Took stock of the progress in our bilateral relationship and shared perspectives on global and regional issues. Look forward to welcoming him in India,” he said in a post on X.

Jaishankar also met Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, who also holds the portfolio of the foreign minister. “Began the day with a good meeting with (the) PM & FM of Qatar @MBA_AlThani_. Discussed taking India-Qatar bilateral ties forward. Appreciated his insights and assessments on regional developments,” he said in a post on X.

In Riyadh, Jaishankar is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with foreign ministers of several other GCC member countries. The GCC is an influential grouping, comprising the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. The total volume of India’s trade with GCC countries stood at USD 184.46 billion in the financial year 2022-23.

Ahead of the visit, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi on Saturday said India and the GCC enjoy a deep and multifaceted relationship, including in areas of trade and investment, energy, cultural and people-to-people ties. Jaishankar is here on the first leg of his three-nation tour that will also take him to Germany and Switzerland.