Riyadh/New Delhi, Sep 8 (UNI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in the Saudi Arabian capital on Sunday to participate in the first India-Gulf Cooperation Council Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
In a post on X, the EAM said he was received by Abdulmajeed Al Smari, Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs.
“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.”
While in Riyadh, the EAM is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with Foreign Ministers from the GCC member countries.
India and the GCC enjoy a deep and multifaceted relationship, in areas including political, trade and investment, energy cooperation, 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.
The Foreign Ministers meeting will be an opportunity to review and deepen institutional cooperation between India and the GCC across various sectors, a statement said.
The GCC is a regional, intergovernmental, political, and economic union comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The council’s main headquarters is located in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
From Riyadh, the EAM will proceed to Germany and Switzerland for bilateral visits.
