Jaishankar arrives in Riyadh to attend India-Gulf cooperation council foreign ministers’ meeting
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, September 8, for the First India-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. His two-day visit, scheduled until September 9, began with a warm reception by Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs, Abdulmajeed Al Smari.
Jaishankar took to social media to express his gratitude, stating, “Arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to take part in the First India-Gulf Cooperation Council Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. Thank Abdulmajeed Al Smari for the warm reception.”
The meeting will offer an opportunity to strengthen and review institutional cooperation between India and the GCC, which has established itself as a significant trading partner for India and is home to around 8.9 million Indian expatriates. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) highlighted the deep and multifaceted relationship between India and the GCC, encompassing political, trade, investment, energy, cultural, and people-to-people ties.
Following his visit to Riyadh, Jaishankar is scheduled to travel to Berlin, Germany, for a two-day visit from September 10-11. This will mark his first bilateral visit to Berlin. The agenda includes meetings with the German Federal Foreign Minister and other key figures to discuss and review the robust strategic partnership and extensive bilateral relations between India and Germany.
Jaishankar’s itinerary will then take him to Geneva, Switzerland, from September 12-13. In Geneva, he will engage with leaders and representatives from various international organizations based there, as well as meet with his Swiss counterpart to explore ways to enhance the bilateral relationship between India and Switzerland.
This diplomatic tour underscores India’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its global relationships and engage with key international partners across diverse sectors.
