India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held discussions on cooperation between the two sides, including Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.

 

The discussions took place during a meeting between India’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Vipul, and GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi. The two sides also discussed regional and global developments of mutual interest.

 

In February, India and the GCC signed the Terms of Reference to guide the negotiations for the India-GCC FTA.

 

The GCC was established by an agreement in Riyadh in 1981 among Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE in view of their special relations, geographic proximity, similar political systems based on Islamic beliefs, joint destiny and common objectives.

 

Ties between India and GCC countries have deepened in recent years in various sectors, including trade, investment, energy, health, technology and cultural exchanges. Trade and Investment between India and the GCC continues to increase, with total trade of around USD 178 billion in FY 2024-25.