New Delhi is set to host a major diplomatic engagement as foreign ministers and senior representatives from all 22 member states of the League of Arab States gather for the India–Arab Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (IAFMM). After a gap of nearly ten years since the last such meeting in 2016, the forum’s revival reflects growing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, particularly the strain between Iran and the United States, and underscores India’s rising profile as a trusted interlocutor across rival blocs.
In today’s episode of DNA, Rahul Sinha, Managing Editor of Zee News, conducted a detailed analysis of why Delhi has become the chosen venue for this high-stakes diplomatic marathon. The meeting comes at a time when Gulf nations, West Asian powers, and global stakeholders are seeking stability amid fears of escalation involving Iran, Israel, and the US.
The IAFMM will see participation from all 12 Gulf countries, each represented at the ministerial or senior official level. Alongside core agenda items, discussions are expected to focus on regional security, energy cooperation, and the broader geopolitical climate in the Middle East. The developments in Delhi are being closely watched by US President Donald Trump, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir, each for different strategic reasons.
For Washington, the concern lies in the possibility of Arab nations aligning with India on energy cooperation or Iran-related positions that could dilute US leverage, including tariff pressure on India over Russian oil imports. Tehran, meanwhile, is closely monitoring whether India’s strong ties with Israel and balanced relations with Arab states could lead to further diplomatic isolation of Iran in the region.
Pakistan’s military leadership is also uneasy. Islamabad fears that deeper India–Arab cooperation could undermine its ambitions of building a broader Islamic military alliance and weaken Pakistan’s defence export interests, particularly if India advances strategic or defence partnerships with Arab countries.
India’s ability to host this meeting stems from a decade-long policy of maintaining equilibrium in its West Asia ties. Through platforms such as I2U2 and the IMEC economic corridor, India has brought together countries with historically adversarial relationships, positioning itself as a bridge rather than a partisan player. Its decision to keep distance from the US-backed “Board of Peace” on Gaza, due to the absence of senior Palestinian representation, further reinforced confidence in India’s independent foreign policy.
That credibility has drawn even Palestinian Authority representatives to Delhi, alongside Arab and Israeli-linked stakeholders. India’s past diplomatic interventions—urging restraint during the Gaza conflict, advocating ceasefires, and facilitating de-escalation between Israel and Iran—have strengthened expectations that New Delhi can play a constructive role during crises.
As the meeting unfolds, Arab nations are looking to India not just as a host, but as a stabilising force capable of nudging regional actors away from confrontation. In a Middle East weighed down by uncertainty, the outcomes of “Diplomacy in Delhi” are being keenly awaited across the region.
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