What happened:
On February 1, India and the League of Arab States (LAS) agreed to deepen their strategic partnership under the India–Arab Cooperation Forum (2026–28), setting a goal to double bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030. The sides adopted the New Delhi Declaration after the second India–Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, outlining cooperation across trade, energy, digital innovation, space, startups, and counter-terrorism.
Why it matters:
The agreement strengthens India’s engagement with the Arab world as a key economic and strategic partner, boosts energy security and technology collaboration, and positions India as a central player in South–West Asia trade, connectivity, and institutional reform, including calls to reform the UN Security Council.