India will host the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting (IAFMM) in New Delhi on January 31, 2026, marking a significant diplomatic event after a 10-year gap since the first meeting in Bahrain in 2016.

The meeting, co-chaired by India and the UAE, will include foreign ministers from Arab League member states, senior officials, and the Arab League Secretary General, building on prior cooperation in economy, energy, education, media, and culture.

This is the first IAFMM hosted by India, preceded by the 4th India-Arab Senior Officials' Meeting on January 30. Participation spans all 22 Arab countries, with confirmed foreign ministers from nations like Sudan, Palestine, Oman, Qatar, Libya, Somalia, and Comoros, alongside others at ministerial or senior levels. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal welcomed key arrivals, such as Sudan's Mohieldin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim and Palestine's Varsen Agh Shahin, emphasizing strengthened ties.

The partnership stems from a 2002 MoU between India and the League of Arab States (LAS), with India as an observer, and a 2008 Memorandum of Cooperation establishing the Arab-India Cooperation Forum, revised in 2013. The inaugural 2016 FMM set five priority areas, which this edition aims to expand amid regional challenges.

Discussions will cover political cooperation, trade, investment, energy and food security, connectivity, people-to-people ties, West Asia developments (e.g., Gaza, Yemen), Indian community welfare, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), and counter-terrorism. A parallel India-Arab business forum is planned, positioning India as a diplomatic hub.

Based On ANI Report