Al-Marar chairs the Arab side in the second session of the Arab-Indian Ministerial Forum
New Delhi, January 31, 2026 – The second session of the Arab-Indian Ministerial Forum was held on January 31, 2026 in New Delhi, under the joint chairmanship of the UAE (Chairman of the current 164th session of the Arab League Council at the ministerial level) and the friendly Republic of India.
The Arab side was headed by His Excellency Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State, while the Indian side was headed by His Excellency Subramaniam Jaishankar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of India, in the presence and participation of a number of Their Excellencies Arab foreign ministers and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States.
The meeting reviewed aspects of cooperation between Arab countries and the Republic of India, and also adopted the New Delhi Declaration issued by the second session of the Arab-Indian Ministerial Forum, and the executive program for cooperation between the two sides for the years 2026-2028.
His Excellency Khalifa bin Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State, stressed in his opening speech that Arab-Indian relations are witnessing growing momentum, based on solid historical ties and promising opportunities for cooperation in various fields.
He also highlighted the distinguished relations between the UAE and the Republic of India, which have witnessed qualitative development within the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership since 2017.
His Excellency Al Marar referred to the recent visit made by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him,” to the Republic of India on January 19, 2026, which contributed to strengthening economic, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries, especially in light of the success of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which raised the volume of bilateral trade exchange to exceed 100 billion US dollars during the years 2024-2025.
At the regional level, His Excellency affirmed the UAE’s support for international efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace in the Middle East and ending the conflict in the Gaza Strip, based on the two-state solution and international legitimacy resolutions, in a way that guarantees the rights of the Palestinian people.
In this context, His Excellency indicated that the UAE appreciates its participation as a member of the Peace Council and its Executive Council, to work on implementing the comprehensive plan for the Gaza Strip.
His Excellency also renewed the UAE’s aspiration to end the Iranian occupation of the three Emirati islands (Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa), stressing the endeavor to reach a peaceful solution to this issue, either through direct bilateral negotiations with Iran, or accepting to refer the case to the International Court of Justice, in accordance with the principles and rules of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
His Excellency affirmed the UAE’s firm commitment to confronting the phenomenon of extremism, combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and confronting hate speech, based on its belief that extremism and terrorism constitute a direct threat to security, stability and development at the regional and international levels. On the other hand, the state stresses the importance of promoting the values of tolerance, coexistence, and dialogue between cultures and religions, which contributes to building safe and cohesive societies, and supports efforts to achieve sustainable peace and common prosperity.
In conclusion, His Excellency expressed the Arab countries’ aspiration to continue strengthening cooperation and partnership with the friendly Republic of India, in a way that serves security, stability, development and prosperity.
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