NEW DELHI 

Taking forward the “comprehensive plan” to end the Gaza conflict is a “widely shared priority.” Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Saturday as the country hosted top diplomats of Arab nations in the capital, New Delhi.

The 2nd India-Arab foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi, co-chaired by India and the United Arab Emirates, was attended by top diplomats from Arab nations, as well as the Arab League secretary general, after a 10-year hiatus, according to an Indian External Affairs Ministry statement.

Jaishankar, during his remarks, said the meeting is taking place at an "important juncture when the global order is undergoing transformation for a variety of reasons."

“Nowhere is this more apparent than in West Asia or the Middle East, where the landscape itself has undergone a dramatic change in the last year. The situation in Gaza, in particular, has been the focus for the international community,” he said.

Talking about last year’s Gaza peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, Jaishankar said, “…taking forward the comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict is today a widely shared priority. Various countries have made policy declarations on the peace plan, individually or collectively. This is the larger context in which we deliberate on the region’s challenges and prospects.”

The Gaza peace agreement ended a two-year Israeli war that killed nearly 71,800 Palestinians and wounded more than 171,400. The assault has destroyed roughly 90% of the civilian infrastructure in Gaza, with UN estimates placing reconstruction costs at about $70 billion.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also said he was “delighted” to receive the foreign ministers and delegations of the Arab League on Saturday.

“The Arab world is a part of India’s extended neighbourhood, linked by deep civilisational bonds, vibrant people-to-people connections and enduring brotherly ties, as well as a shared commitment to peace, progress and stability,” Modi said on US social media company X.

“Confident that enhanced cooperation in technology, energy, trade and innovation will unlock new opportunities and take the partnership to new heights,” he added.