Riyadh: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in the Saudi capital on Sunday on a two-day visit to attend the first India-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers’ meeting. Jaishankar is here on the first leg of his three-nation tour that will also take him to Germany and Switzerland.
“Arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to take part in the First India – Gulf Cooperation Council Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. Thank Abdulmajeed Al Smari, Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs for the warm reception,” Jaishankar said in a post on X.
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.
In Riyadh, Jaishankar is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with foreign ministers of several GCC member countries.
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.
“The GCC region has emerged as a major trading partner for India and is home to a large Indian expatriate community, numbering around 8.9 million,” it said in a statement.
“The Foreign Ministers meeting will be an opportunity to review and deepen institutional cooperation between India and the GCC across various sectors,” it said.
Jaishankar to visit Germany
After concluding his visit to Riyadh, Jaishankar is scheduled to travel to Germany for a two-day visit from September 10-11. This will be his first bilateral visit to Berlin. India and Germany share a robust strategic partnership, and Germany is one of India’s prominent trading partners and among the largest foreign direct investors.
During his visit, EAM Jaishankar will meet the German Federal Foreign Minister as well as the leadership and other ministers from the German government with an objective of reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral relations between India and Germany, according to the MEA release. The External Affairs Minister will thereafter travel to Geneva, Switzerland, for an official visit from September 12-13.
Notably, Geneva is home to a large number of United Nations bodies and international organisations, the release said. During the visit, the External Affairs Minister will meet with heads and representatives of international organisations with whom India is actively engaged, the release said. During the visit, Jaishankar will also meet Switzerland’s counterpart to review the close partnership between the two nations and explore avenues to enhance the bilateral relationship further
(With inputs from agency)
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