Event: India

India’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia meets with the Secretary General of the six-nation bloc, Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, in Riyadh on August 24, 2026. Photo: X/@IndianEmbRiyadh India has reviewed the negotiations on a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), as the country's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Vipul, held wide-ranging talks with the secretary general of the six-nation bloc, Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, in Riyadh.The meeting took place on Sunday (August 23, 2026), where both sides discussed ways to strengthen India-GCC relations, exchanged views on regional and international developments, and reviewed preparations for a Ministerial meeting scheduled next month, the GCC Secretariat said in a statement.The meeting assumes significance as India and the GCC resumed negotiations in February for a comprehensive trade agreement aimed at boosting bilateral trade and investment, even though the talks were temporarily stalled in June because of the West Asia crisis.The GCC comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and was established in 1981 as a political, economic and security grouping.During Sunday's (August 23) meeting, India and the GCC also affirmed the importance of continued coordination and consultations on issues of common interest to contribute to regional security and stability, the GCC statement said.“Both discussed India-GCC cooperation, including FTA negotiations and strengthening high-level engagements. They also exchanged views on regional and global developments of mutual interest,” the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said in a post on X.Ambassador Shri Vipul met H.E. Mr. Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), today. Both discussed India-GCC cooperation, including FTA negotiations and strengthening high-level engagements. They also exchanged views on regional and global… pic.twitter.com/iYFNDUSWjn— India in Saudi Arabia (@IndianEmbRiyadh) August 23, 2026The GCC is India's largest trading partner bloc, with bilateral trade reaching $178.56 billion in 2024-25, accounting for 15.42% of India's…