Foreign ministers of India and the 22-member League of Arab States (LAS) on Saturday night adopted a Delhi Declaration and the executive programme for 2026-28, seeking to strengthen the partnership that is both historic and dynamic.
Though the meeting came at a time when war clouds are once again gathering over West Asia with the US threatening military action against Iran and mobilising its forces in the Gulf, the Delhi Declaration makes no mention of the evolving situation. It, however, dwells on other conflicts or disputes in the region between Iran and LAS members.
On the Palestine issue, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in West Asia, according to international law, relevant UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. They called for a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine based on the 1967 borders, living side by side in peace with Israel. Both parties supported the practice of inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.
The meeting of foreign ministers saw India condemn attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militias on maritime navigation, and emphasised that the protection of the vital Bab al-Mandab Strait and the southern Red Sea is not only an Arab and regional responsibility, but also a shared international responsibility and a global interest. They warned against any attempts to undermine stability in the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.
The two sides expressed their support for the endeavours of the UAE in achieving a peaceful resolution of the issue regarding the three islands — Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa — through direct bilateral negotiation with Iran or in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
The foreign ministers of the Arab States condemned the Pahalgam attack. There was appreciation for the initiatives undertaken by a number of Arab States in the areas of counter terrorism and transnational crime, with a reaffirmation of the principle of zero tolerance toward terrorism.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar had said: “Cross-border terrorism is particularly unacceptable because it violates the basic principles of international relations and diplomacy. Societies targeted by terrorism have the right to defend themselves and will understandably exercise it. It is essential that we strengthen international cooperation to combat what is a global scourge. Zero tolerance for terrorism must be an uncompromising universal norm.”
The declaration underscored member states’ rejection of hate speech and all forms of attacks on the beliefs and religious practices of nations and peoples. They called for the adoption of measures to combat such acts, given their detrimental impact on social cohesion, the maintenance of international peace, and their role in fueling the outbreak, escalation, and recurrence of conflicts worldwide. The two sides called on all states to advance efforts promoting tolerance, peaceful coexistence, human fraternity and the rejection of hatred, sectarianism, fanaticism, discrimination and extremism.