NEW DELHI: India’s continued engagement with the Gulf saw external affairs minister S Jaishankar speaking to his Saudi Arabia and UAE counterparts on the regional situation and latest developments in the conflict in the West Asia region. The minister has spoken to his counterparts from all GCC countries since the military conflict started on Feb 28, calling for resolving all issues through dialogue and emphasising the well-being of the Indian diaspora. Jaishankar is currently on a visit to Brussels from March 15-16 at the invitation of EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to interact with foreign ministers of the 27 EU member states at the Foreign Affairs Council Meeting. During the visit, Jaishankar will also hold meetings with the leadership of the EU, and his counterparts from Belgium and other EU member states. This is the first high-level bilateral visit from either side since the two sides finalised a free trade agreement in Jan this year. The visit is taking place in the middle of the raging war in the West Asia region. Jaishankar and Kallas had spoken earlier to discuss issues related to the conflict. The Indian minister is likely to stress on the need for an early end to the conflict in his engagements with his European counterparts. “The visit of the foreign minister coming soon after the historic 16th India-EU Summit is expected to further deepen India’s strategic partnership with the EU,” said the MEA said in a statement.
