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Why in News?
Ministers and delegates of the 22-member Arab League (League of Arab States – LAS) are meeting in New Delhi for the 2nd India–Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, marking a major diplomatic outreach by India amid heightened geopolitical tensions in West Asia and the global order.
Background: Arab League (LAS)
- Established: 22 March 1945
- Headquarters: Cairo, Egypt
- Members: 22 countries from North Africa & West Asia
- India–LAS engagement formalised: March 2002 (MoU signed)
Objectives of India–LAS MoU (2002)
- Promote traditional ties of friendship & cooperation
- Institutionalise dialogue
- Provide for annual meetings between:
- India’s External Affairs Minister
- Arab League Secretary General
Institutional Frameworks of Engagement
- Arab-India Cooperation Forum (AICF):
- Established: 2008
- First meeting: 2016, Manama (Bahrain)
- India’s Permanent Representative to LAS:
- Indian Ambassador to Egypt (since 2010)
- India–LAS Partnership & Investment Summit:
- Biennial flagship economic event
- New Initiative (2026):
- India & Arab Countries Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture
Key Pillars of India–Arab League Engagement
- Strategic Partnership Agreements with:
- Oman (2008)
- UAE (2015)
- Saudi Arabia (2019)
- Egypt (2023)
- Qatar (2025)
- Strong convergence in multilateral forums:
- BRICS, SCO
- Alignment of national visions:
- Saudi Vision 2030
- UAE Centennial 2071
- Oman Vision 2040
- India’s Viksit Bharat @2047
