Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh has said that people-to-people engagement based on a desire for mutual progress and prosperity are the cornerstones of India- Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) relationship. In his inaugural message at the Kochi Dialogue 2025 last evening, the Minister said, that instead of viewing the India-GCC relationship through the decades-old prism of energy, trade and diaspora, the union government has expanded structured collaboration in sectors like renewables, emerging technologies, innovation, healthcare, space and defence. He noted that the announcement of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor at the G-20 Summit in New Delhi has opened a new perspective for trade and connectivity.

Delivering the special address at the event, the Secretary-General of the GCC, Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said there is a need to deepen cooperation between India and GCC in areas like technology and innovation, food security, climate change, free trade and education. He observed that the relationship between India and GCC countries is more vital and stronger than ever before. Besides India and the GCC countries, the Kochi Dialogue 2025 is being attended by diplomatic communities and delegates from Australia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. The event will draw to a close today.