Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar welcomes Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani to the 5th meeting of the India-Bahrain Joint High Commission in New Delhi on November 3, 2025. | Photo credit: @MEAIndia/X/ANI Photo
India reiterated on Monday (Nov 3, 2025) that US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan will lead to a “durable” solution to the West Asian conflict.
Welcoming Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said there were “unprecedented” changes in the West Asian region and the world.
“I take this opportunity to reiterate our support for the Gaza Peace Plan, which we hope will lead to a durable and lasting solution,” Mr Jaishankar said in his opening remarks. King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain attended the Sharm El Sheikh summit on October 13, 2025, where President Trump presented the Gaza peace plan to regional stakeholders.
A joint statement issued after a meeting of the High Joint Commission headed by Mr Jaishankar and Mr Alzayani said India and Bahrain expressed optimism for “enhancing future cooperation in the fields of defense and security”.
The statement also mentioned unequivocal condemnation of “terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and reaffirmed firm determination to fight terrorism, including cross-border terrorism.”
The two sides emphasized that India is among the top five trading partners of the Kingdom of Bahrain and “noted the progress” made in opening the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) negotiations between the two countries.
“The two sides agreed to develop a joint agreement to initiate negotiations on a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA)” to eliminate double taxation, provide tax certainty and promote trade and investment.
The visit of the Bahraini foreign minister coincided with an informal consultation where a delegation of the Ministry of External Affairs led by Secretary (South) Neen Malhotra met the ambassadors of Arab countries for a dialogue on strengthening the partnership between India and the League of Arab States (LAS).
The discussion focused on the implementation of an executive program of the Indo-Arab Cooperation Forum (IACF) covering areas such as energy, education, media and culture.
Published – 03 Nov 2025 23:08 IST
