Jaishankar embarks on six-nation tour covering Gulf, US and Belgium
S Jaishankar begins a six-nation tour. Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons.
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar begins a six-nation tour today, running through July 15, with stops in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, the US, and Belgium, aimed at advancing India’s West Asia relations, UN ambitions, and technology partnerships.
The trip coincides with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s six-day visit to Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand, starting July 6.
The first part of Jaishankar’s trip from July 5 to July 10 will encompass the four Gulf states – Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. The visit is aimed at enhancing India’s bilateral relations with the four countries and providing an opportunity to exchange views on regional developments and issues of mutual interest, according to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs.
His visit to the region comes soon after the recent US-Iran peace agreement, at a key moment for India as it works to engage all its major regional partners. The region supplies much of India’s oil and LNG imports and is home to about 9 million Indian workers. It’s also among India’s largest trading partners.
After wrapping up the Gulf engagements, Jaishankar will proceed to New York on July 13, where India will officially launch its campaign for non-permanent membership on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2028-2029 term. The UNSC has 10 elected non-permanent members who serve two-year terms, chosen by the UN General Assembly.
India has been elected as a non-permanent member eight times, most recently for the 2021-2022 term. The New York launch marks the start of India’s outreach to other member states ahead of the vote, aimed at building support for its candidature and reviving its long-standing push for UNSC reform, including permanent member status. If elected, India would gain a temporary but influential role in shaping global decisions on peace, security, and international conflict.
Thereafter, Jaishankar will embark on the last leg of his tour to Brussels, where he is set to attend the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC), which will take place on July 14 and 15. Discussions there will likely cover topics such as advancement of artificial intelligence, quantum solutions, semiconductors, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure and many emerging and critical technologies.
The minister will also have individual meetings with EU officials and members of the Belgian government. The TTC is designed to support ongoing India-EU free trade talks, while also helping India reduce its dependence on China for critical technology supply chains.
Over the last two years, Jaishankar has made independent visits to most of the six nations on this trip. He visited Qatar in June and December 2024, and Bahrain and Kuwait in 2024, along with numerous trips to the US for events tied to the UN and Quad. His last visit to Belgium was in March 2026. Oman, however, has not had a dedicated bilateral visit from Jaishankar during this period, making this stop his first.
