EAM Jaishankar begins six-nation tour on July 5; Gulf, UNSC and EU talks in focus

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will begin a 10-day multi-nation visit on Sunday, travelling to four Gulf countries before heading to New York and Brussels for key diplomatic engagements, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

Jaishankar will visit Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman from July 5 to July 10. During the tour, he will hold talks with his counterparts and the leadership of the four countries.

The ministry said the visit aims to further strengthen India's bilateral relations with the Gulf nations while also providing an opportunity to discuss regional developments and issues of mutual interest.

"External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar will be on an official visit to Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman from 05-10 July 2026. During the visit to these countries, he will be meeting with his counterparts and the leadership. The visit will focus on enhancing our bilateral relations with the four countries and also provide an opportunity to exchange views on regional developments and issues of mutual interest," the MEA said.

India to launch UNSC campaign in New York

After completing the Gulf tour, Jaishankar will travel to New York, where he is scheduled to launch India's official campaign for the UN Security Council tenure 2028-29 on July 13.

India-EU Trade and Technology Council meeting in Brussels

Jaishankar will then visit Brussels on July 14–15 to participate in the third India-European Union Trade and Technology Council (TTC) meeting. He is also expected to hold discussions with his counterparts from the European Union and Belgium.

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who holds the Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology portfolios, will also attend the meeting.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 17th Toy Biz International B2B Expo, Goyal said the TTC meeting would complement the recently concluded India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and help facilitate its implementation.

"Our effort is that it becomes a supplement to the free trade agreement which we have finalised and will help us to smooth the edges and make it easier to implement and benefit from the FTA going forward," Goyal said.

He added that the dialogue is expected to deepen India-EU cooperation in areas such as trade, technology and resilient supply chains, while supporting the effective implementation of the FTA.

IANS