Jaishankar discusses West Asia crisis with Saudi, UAE ministers

Jaishankar said he spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud late on Saturday night, and discussed ongoing developments related to the conflict in West Asia.

In another post, Jaishankar said he also spoke with the UAE Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, exchanging views on various aspects of the regional situation.

The outreach comes as New Delhi maintains close diplomatic engagement with key Gulf partners amid the escalating conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States, which has heightened security concerns across the region and raised risks for energy supplies and maritime traffic.

Later in the day, Jaishankar arrived in Brussels for a two-day visit from March 15 to 16 to engage with foreign ministers of the European Union during the bloc’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting.

The visit is taking place at the invitation of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas.

During the meeting, Jaishankar will interact with foreign ministers from the EU’s 27 member states and hold bilateral talks with EU leadership as well as with his Belgian counterpart and other European partners.

Officials said the visit follows the 16th India–EU Summit earlier this year, where both sides concluded negotiations on a landmark Free Trade Agreement and reaffirmed their commitment to deepen the strategic partnership.

The pact is expected to significantly expand market access and strengthen economic ties between the two major markets. Bilateral trade between India and the EU currently exceeds €120 billion annually, making the bloc India’s largest trading partner.

The Foreign Affairs Council meeting is also expected to discuss global issues, including the war in Ukraine and the escalating crisis in West Asia, providing an opportunity for consultations with India on wider geopolitical challenges.