'Middle East landscape impacts us all’: EAM S Jaishankar at 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers’ meeting

At the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting, EAM S Jaishankar highlighted the Middle East as the epicenter of global upheaval, from Gaza's crisis to conflicts in Sudan, Yemen, Lebanon, Libya, and Syria, directly impacting India. 

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated on Saturday that the Middle East exemplifies the ongoing upheaval in the global order.

Speaking at the opening of the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Jaishankar noted that these regional developments directly affect India as a neighboring power.

He welcomed delegates, emphasising the transformative global shifts driven by politics, economics, technology, and demographics. "Nowhere is this more evident than in West Asia and the Middle East, where the landscape has dramatically shifted over the past year," he said. "This impacts us all, especially India as a proximate neighbor, and holds significant implications for our ties with Arab nations."

Jaishankar highlighted the Middle East's pivotal role in world affairs, including the Gaza crisis.

Over recent years, multiple high-stakes events in the region have rippled globally, he observed. The Gaza situation has drawn intense international focus, from the October 2025 Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit, attended by many present, to UN Security Council Resolution 2803 in November 2025. "Advancing a comprehensive peace plan for Gaza is now a shared global priority, with nations issuing individual and collective policy commitments," he added.

He also addressed other global crises, Sudan's devastating conflict, Yemen's threats to maritime security, where India has troops, Lebanon's instability with Indian forces in UNIFIL, Libya's need for national dialogue, and Syria's trajectory, all critical for regional stability.

Terrorism emerged as a mutual threat linking the Middle East and India. "Cross-border terrorism is unacceptable, as it undermines international norms," Jaishankar asserted.

"Targeted societies have the right to self-defense, and we must bolster global cooperation against this scourge. Zero tolerance for terrorism should be a universal principle."

India's longstanding ties with League of Arab States (LAS) nations have evolved into strategic partnerships, rooted in historical exchanges of goods, people, and ideas, now encompassing energy, trade, expatriate communities (India's largest abroad), technology, connectivity, food, and health security.

The meeting would shape bilateral relations too, Jaishankar said, with the India-Arab Cooperation Forum providing a practical platform. The 2026-28 agenda spans energy, environment, agriculture, tourism, HRD, culture, and education, plus emerging areas like digital tech, space, startups, and innovation. Additional focuses include counter-terrorism, parliamentary exchanges, and the newly launched India-Arab Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture.

As India builds tech-driven, people-centric capacities, sharing best practices would benefit all, he suggested. Jaishankar anticipated productive, outcome-focused discussions before inviting co-chair Khalifa bin Shaheen Al Marad of the League of Arab States for remarks.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the Arab foreign ministers' delegation, the league Secretary General, and heads of delegations attending the meeting, per the PMO.
 

(with ANI inputs)