NEW DELHI: Resuming his international travels, foreign minister S. Jaishankar, will be traveling to Bahrain, the UAE and Seychelles from November 24-29, to reaffirm India growing strategic convergences in the Gulf and to welcome a new government in one of India’s close Indian Ocean partners, Seychelles.
According to an MEA statement, Jaishankar will begin his travels in Bahrain, “personally convey condolences on behalf of Government and people of India to the Bahraini leadership on the sad demise of Prime Minister of Bahrain HH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa on November 11.” Bilateral issues will dominate both with the Bahraini leadership and the UAE leadership in Abu Dhabi.
However its no coincidence that Jaishankar will be meeting the leadership of the two countries which have only recently normalised their relations with Israel, another close partner of India’s in the Middle East. Jaishankar’s visit also comes hot on the heels of reports (since denied officially by Saudi Arabia) a hitherto undisclosed visit by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and the Mossad chief to meet Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia. The tectonic plates in the Middle East are shifting. India finds itself uniquely placed to play a more significant role in a part of the world with which it has developed deep trade and investment relations, a burgeoning securing relationship and which is home to a 9-million-strong Indian diaspora.
In Abu Dhabi Jaishankar will meet, according to the MEA, with his counterpart HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on November 26.
“Both leaders will take forward the excellent cooperation between India and UAE under our comprehensive strategic partnership and exchange views on various regional and international issues. EAM will also discuss ways for Indian workers to resume their jobs in UAE in the post-Covid scenario. More than 3 million Indians live and work in UAE.” Modi has had several conversations with UAE Crown prince Mohammed bin Zayed in the past few months, while Jaishankar “co-chaired the India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting in September 2020. A meeting of the High Level Task Force on Investments (HLTFI) was co-chaired by our Minister of Commerce and Industry & Railways and Chairman, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) in early November.”
IN Seychelles, the Indian government is clear that Jaishankar will not discuss the Assumption island issue with the new government led by Wavel Ramkalawan, who, as leader of opposition had opposed the Indian project on the island.
India, instead, would proffer more in terms of development projects to Seychelles, particularly in the area of health. The island country has declared a national emergency in the Covid pandemic. Jaishankar will meet his counterpart Sylvestre Radegonde and meet Ramkalawan. The latter defeated the government led by Danny Faure in recent weeks.
Jaishankar will also pay a separate visit to meet the leadership of Dubai on his return.