India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting | 03 Feb 2026

Source: TH

Amidst preparations for India's Prime Ministerial visit to Israel, India hosted the India-Arab Foreign Ministers' meeting and held a key security dialogue with Saudi Arabia, showcasing a nuanced diplomatic balancing act in West Asia. 

Key Developments in West Asia Diplomacy 

• Security Engagement with Saudi Arabia: The 3rd India-Saudi Arabia Security Working Group meeting was held in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and agreed to enhance cooperation against terror financing, cyber-terrorism, and the crime-terror nexus.  
  • It is a bilateral security dialogue mechanism established under their Strategic Partnership Council (SPC) instituted in 2019. It operates under the Political, Consular and Security Cooperation Committee of the SPC. 
• Balancing Act with the Arab World: This meeting was followed by the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers' meeting in Delhi, attended by Palestine's Foreign Minister among others. 
  • India expressed support for international efforts to restore peace in Gaza, referring to the Sharm-el-Sheikh Peace Summit (2025) and UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which backed a transitional administration and an International Stabilisation Force for Gaza. 
  • However, India has not yet responded to the US invitation to join the Board of Peace for Gaza tasked with overseeing the maintenance of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and reconstruction of Gaza. 
  • India highlighted broader instability in West Asia, including Libya, Sudan, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, and flagged concerns over maritime security and its UN peacekeeping role in Lebanon. 
• Diplomatic Outreach to Iran: Concurrently, India’s Deputy National Security Advisor visited Tehran for meetings with Iranian security officials, amid regional tensions over a potential US-Israel strike on Iran.