What is happening in Middle East affects all countries, including India, says S Jaishankar

Published: 8 December 2024

More than 10 million Indians living in the Gulf, with a trade volume reaching $180bn, Indian External Affairs Minister says in a panel discussion at Doha Forum 2024

QNA/ANI
Doha

What is happening in the Middle East region affects all countries, including India, due to the fallout from the war on the Gaza Strip, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday in a panel discussion at the Doha Forum 2024.

Dr. Jaishankar highlighted that it is true that India is geographically far but it is connected to this region, adding that there is half a million Indians living in Mediterranean countries, and the trade volume between India and those countries is around $80bn, in addition to more than 10 million Indians living in the Gulf, with a trade volume reaching $180bn.

“What’s happening in Syria, region, Gaza, Lebanon, the combination of all of this, there is a larger regional instability which is actually growing month on month. It is impacting country in Asia. We are feeling it in shipping costs, trade destructions, in radicalization. So, today, instability anywhere actually is a source of concern. There is no region that is faraway and doesn’t matter to us. Our interests are there,” the Minister added.

“If you look at what is happening in Red Sea and its impact in Asia, it’s huge. So, I think there are different challenges, layers of them… Diplomats of world have to tell themselves- it’s a messy world, it’s terrible, there are conflicts, but therefore there’s all the more reason for diplomats of the world to step forward,” Dr. Jaishankar said.

When asked whether the United States was trying to attract India into its sphere, he said: “We’ve been trying to attract them into the Indian sphere.”

Jaishankar was adressing the 22nd edition of the Doha Forum panel on ‘Conflict Resolution in a New Era’ where Qatar Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and Norway Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide were also present.