Jaishankar visits Saudi National Museum, participates in India-GCC foreign ministers' meeting
- In Reports
- 01:54 PM, Sep 09, 2024
- Myind Staff
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited the Saudi National Museum and the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives in Riyadh on Sunday, highlighting India's historical ties with Saudi Arabia. Jaishankar emphasised that these deep connections now form the basis of a strong contemporary relationship between the two nations.
In a post on X, Jaishankar shared, "Visited the Saudi National Museum and King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives in Riyadh. Brought out India’s deep historical connect that now serves as a foundation to develop a strong contemporary relationship."
Jaishankar arrived in Riyadh earlier in the day to participate in the First India-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. He was welcomed by Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs, Abdulmajeed Al Smari. In another post on X, Jaishankar expressed his gratitude for the warm reception, "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."
During his two-day visit from September 8-9, Jaishankar is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with foreign ministers from GCC member countries, according to a release by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The MEA’s statement emphasised the significance of India’s ties with the GCC, stating, “India and the GCC enjoy a deep and multifaceted relationship, in areas including political, trade & investment, energy cooperation, cultural and people-to-people ties.” The statement further noted that the GCC has become a major trading partner for India, with the region hosting around 8.9 million Indian expatriates. "The Foreign Ministers meeting will be an opportunity to review and deepen institutional cooperation between India and the GCC across various sectors," the MEA added.
Following his visit to Riyadh, Jaishankar is scheduled to travel to Germany for his first bilateral visit to Berlin from September 10-11.
Image source: Midday
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