New Delhi, Nov 2 (IANS) Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani has arrived in India to co-chair the fifth meeting of the India-Bahrain High Joint Commission with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, in a move aimed at further strengthening bilateral relations between the two nations.

The visit, announced by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on, social media platform X, marks an important engagement between India and Bahrain to review cooperation across various domains.

“Warm welcome to FM Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani of the Kingdom of Bahrain. He will be co-chairing the 5th India-Bahrain High Joint Commission meeting with EAM @DrSJaishankar. This visit offers an opportunity to build on the positive momentum in 🇮🇳-🇧🇭 relations,” MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X on Sunday.

The High Joint Commission (HJC) serves as the key institutional mechanism for deepening and reviewing the multi-faceted partnership between India and Bahrain.

The latest edition of the HJC meeting is expected to take stock of progress in existing areas of cooperation and explore new avenues in trade, investment, fintech, energy, health, education, and people-to-people exchanges.

India and Bahrain share longstanding ties rooted in history, culture and economic engagement. Diplomatic relations date back to 1971.

A large Indian community resides in Bahrain and contributes to the kingdom’s economy, according to official sources. Bilateral trade includes sectors such as petroleum products, machinery, electronics and food items, according to official data.

In recent years, bilateral trade and investment have emerged as vital pillars of cooperation. According to official data, trade between India and Bahrain has been on an upward trajectory, driven by sectors such as petroleum products, machinery, electronics, iron and steel, and food items.

The two sides have also been exploring greater collaboration in areas such as renewable energy, digital technologies, and start-ups.

High-level visits between the two countries have further bolstered ties.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Bahrain in August 2019 — the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country — during which the two sides signed several agreements and elevated their relationship to a new level of strategic engagement.

The current visit by Bahrain’s Foreign Minister is expected to sustain the positive momentum in bilateral relations, with both countries looking to strengthen economic linkages and enhance cooperation in regional and international forums.

The discussions under the 5th India-Bahrain High Joint Commission are expected to underline the shared commitment of New Delhi and Manama to deepen their partnership based on mutual respect, economic cooperation, and people-centric development.

–IANS

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