India on Saturday reiterated its continued support for the people of Palestine and welcomed ongoing peace efforts, including the Gaza peace plan, during a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a delegation of top Arab leaders in New Delhi. The Arab leaders are in India to attend the second India–Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM), which is being co-chaired by India and the United Arab Emirates.

Prime Minister Modi met the Foreign Ministers, the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, and heads of Arab delegations and discussed issues related to peace, stability, and cooperation between India and the Arab world. After the meeting, Modi shared his views in a post on X, highlighting the deep relationship between India and Arab nations.

“The Arab world is a part of India’s extended neighbourhood, linked by deep civilisational bonds, vibrant people-to-people connections and enduring brotherly ties, as well as a shared commitment to peace, progress and stability,” Modi said in his post.

He also expressed confidence about the future of India–Arab cooperation, saying, “that enhanced cooperation in technology, energy, trade and innovation will unlock new opportunities and take the partnership to new heights”.

The Prime Minister’s Office, in an official statement, said that Modi “conveyed his appreciation for the important role played by the Arab League in supporting efforts towards regional peace and stability”. The statement also underlined India’s consistent position in supporting peace initiatives in West Asia.

Modi’s remarks have assumed added significance in the backdrop of a recent invitation from US President Donald Trump, who invited India to join the Gaza Peace Board. However, India is yet to take a final decision on its next steps regarding this invitation.

The India–Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting brought together representatives from across the Arab world. Speaking at the ministerial meeting, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that pushing forward the comprehensive peace plan to end the Gaza conflict is a shared priority for many countries. He noted that the peace plan is based on the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803.

“Taking forward the comprehensive peace plan to end the Gaza conflict, based on the UN Security Council Resolution 2803, is a widely shared priority,” Jaishankar said. He added, “Various countries have made policy declarations on the peace plan, individually or collectively. This is the larger context in which we deliberate on the region’s challenges and prospects.”

Jaishankar pointed out that the Middle East has witnessed several major developments over the past few years, many of which have had an impact beyond the region. He said these developments underline the need for cooperation to strengthen peace and stability. Referring to shared interests, he said these “warrant strengthening the forces of stability, peace and prosperity”.

The External Affairs Minister also raised strong concerns about terrorism and stressed the need for collective global action. “A common threat in both our regions to these objectives is that of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” he said. He specifically highlighted cross-border terrorism, stating, “Cross-border terrorism is particularly unacceptable because it violates the basic principles of international relations and diplomacy.” His remarks were widely seen as a reference to Pakistan.

Jaishankar further said, “Societies targeted by terrorism have the right to defend themselves and will understandably exercise it… Zero-tolerance for terrorism must be an uncompromising universal norm.”

Highlighting India’s ties with Arab nations, Jaishankar said India enjoys strong partnerships with all members of the Arab League. He noted that the region hosts some of India’s largest expatriate communities and is also a key source of energy, a major trade partner, and an important participant in emerging technology and connectivity initiatives.

“We are crucial to each other when it comes to food security and health security,” he said. “Today’s deliberations, while of a collective nature, will nevertheless give a fillip to many bilateral ties.”

Jaishankar also spoke about India’s growing capabilities, particularly in the field of technology. “India has developed capacities and strengths in keeping with the times,” he said. “Many of these are technology-related and their application has been people-centric. We believe that sharing experiences and best practices in that regard will be to our mutual benefit.”

Referring to the changing global scenario, Jaishankar said, “We meet at an important juncture when the global order is undergoing transformation for a variety of reasons. Politics, economics, technology and demography are all fully into play.” He added, “Nowhere is this more apparent than in West Asia or the Middle East, where the landscape itself has undergone a dramatic change in the last year.” He said these changes have a direct impact on India as a proximate region and are relevant to India’s relationship with Arab nations.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the India–Arab FMM is the highest institutional mechanism guiding the partnership between India and the Arab world. This partnership was formalised in March 2002. India is an Observer to the League of Arab States, which has 22 member countries.

The first such meeting hosted by India saw participation from all 22 Arab nations. Those present included the Foreign Ministers of Oman, Palestine, Sudan, Comoros, Somalia, and Libya. Egypt, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar were represented by deputy ministers, while Djibouti, Algeria, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Mauritania, and Iraq were represented by senior diplomats and officials.