India urges Gulf nations to facilitate return of Indian workers willing to resume work

India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held their annual Political Dialogue meeting on Tuesday. External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, led the Indian delegation. The leaders undertook a detailed review of India-GCC ties and appreciated the upward trajectory in ties witnessed in the last few years. They expressed satisfaction that India and GCC countries have continued their close cooperation even during the Covid-19 pandemic.

New Delhi: India on Tuesday urged the Gulf countries to facilitate the return of Indian workers and professionals who are now eager to resume their work following the easing of coronavirus-related restrictions.

The issue figured at a virtual meeting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a leading regional organisation comprising almost all Arab countries.

In the meeting, Jaishankar assured the Gulf nations on continuing the supply of food, medicines and essential items from India.

The Ministry of External Affairs said Jaishankar thanked the GCC countries for taking care of the large Indian diaspora during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The External Affairs Minister mentioned that a large number of Indian workers and professionals are now eager to return to the GCC countries to resume their work.

"He urged the GCC leadership to facilitate their return through sustainable travel bubble arrangements with India," the MEA said.

Thousands of Indians had returned home from the Gulf region in the last few months following the coronavirus pandemic.

The MEA said the leaders also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

While the Indian delegation was led by Jaishankar, the GCC was represented by Secretary-General of GCC Nayef Falah M Al-Hajraf, Foreign Minister of Bahrain Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani and Foreign Minister of UAE Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash.

Senior representatives from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar also participated in the meeting.

"They agreed that the India-GCC partnership in political, economic and other domains would be further strengthened. The GCC welcomed India's inclusion in the UNSC as a non-permanent member from January 2021," the MEA said.

"Both sides affirmed their commitment to reform multilateral institutions to reflect the realities of the 21st century and to work together to address contemporary challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, sustainable development and terrorism," it added.

In a series of tweets, Jaishankar said that continuing the flow of food, medicines and essential items were assured to the Gulf region.

The MEA said Jaishankar also apprised the GCC leaders about the progress made by India in vaccine development as well as in the development and manufacturing of diagnostic and other equipment related to COVID-19.

"Both sides reaffirmed that they will continue to work together to tackle COVID-19 situation," it said.

Jaishankar also apprised the GCC leaders of the improving situation in India, both on the health and the economic side.

He hoped for an early return to trade normalcy between India and the GCC.

India had ensured that the supply chains from India to the Gulf were not disrupted despite the lockdowns during the pandemic.

(With inputs from PTI)