External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani in Manama on Monday.

The meeting focused on further strengthening the relationship between India and Bahrain, with both sides emphasising the importance of deepening bilateral cooperation.

In a post on X, Jaishankar expressed his deep appreciation for Bahrain’s efforts in ensuring the well-being of the Indian community. He noted that discussions centred on expanding cooperation and included an exchange of views on ongoing regional developments.

This engagement followed Jaishankar’s meeting with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani in Doha on Sunday. During that visit, both sides explored new opportunities for deepening the Strategic Partnership. Jaishankar described the meeting as a pleasure and thanked the Qatari leadership for safeguarding the Indian community in the Gulf nation.

The discussions in Doha covered a wide range of areas of bilateral cooperation. Energy, trade, investments, connectivity, security and people-to-people ties were all reviewed comprehensively. Jaishankar highlighted that new avenues for collaboration were identified, reflecting the growing momentum in India-Qatar relations.

India and Qatar had elevated their ties to a Strategic Partnership during the state visit of the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, to India in February last year. This framework has since provided a strong foundation for expanding cooperation across multiple sectors.

Jaishankar is currently on a multi-nation visit covering Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, the United States and Belgium. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that he will be on official visits to Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman from 5 to 10 July. During these engagements, he will meet with counterparts and leadership to enhance bilateral relations and exchange views on regional developments and issues of mutual interest.

For the United States leg of the tour, Jaishankar will visit New York on 13 July to launch India’s official campaign for the UN Security Council tenure 2028–29. He will then travel to Brussels on 14–15 July to attend the third India-EU Trade and Technology Council meeting and interact with his EU and Belgian counterparts.

The Gulf region remains a critical priority for India, given its significance for energy security, trade flows and the welfare of the large Indian expatriate community. Strengthening ties with Bahrain, Qatar and other Gulf nations is therefore central to New Delhi’s strategic outlook, particularly in the context of regional tensions and global economic uncertainties.

ANI