Riyadh: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a series of bilateral meetings with the Foreign Ministers from GCC member countries at the sidelines of the First India–Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh, on Monday.
The EAM began the day by holding talks with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani at the headquarters of the GCC General Secretariat.
“Discussed taking India-Qatar bilateral ties forward. Appreciated his insights and assessments on regional developments,” Jaishankar posted on X after a “good meeting” with the Qatari leader.
India and Qatar share historic and friendly relations which are marked by regular exchange of high-level visits.
In June, EAM Jaishankar travelled to Doha to discuss further enhancement of bilateral relations and continued dialogue on issues of mutual interest between the two countries.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Qatar on February 14-15 February and held discussions with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
In the same month, on the sidelines of India Energy Week held in Goa, the two countries had signed an agreement for the supply of 7.5 MMtpa LNG from Qatar to India for 20 years, starting 2028.
EAM Jaishankar’s next meeting on Monday was with Faisal bin Farhan, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia which was also attended by the country’s Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Ambassador Saud Al-Sati and Deputy Minister for International Multilateral Affairs Ambassador . Abdulrahman Al-Rassi. “During the meeting, they reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to develop them in various fields. They also discussed enhancing bilateral and multilateral coordination on many regional and international issues of common interest,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement following the meeting.
In his meeting with Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, both sides agreed on early discussions of their Joint Commission.
The meeting was also attended by Bahrain’s Chief of Legal Affairs and Acting Chief for the GCC Affairs Sector, Ambassador Mohammed Abdul Rahman Al-Haidan, and the delegation accompanying the minister. “During the meeting, they discussed the distinguished and longstanding relations between the two countries as well as aspects of bilateral cooperation in various fields and upgrading them to serve common interests. Views were also exchanged on several regional and international issues. They also discussed ways to enhance cooperation, consultation, and joint coordination in international forums,” stated Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In his discussions with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, EAM Jaishankar asserted taking forward the bilateral ties through an early meeting of the Joint Commission. (ANI)
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