External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday affirmed India’s ‘very firm’ commitment to the safety and security of international maritime activities.

He was confident that India’s joining of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), which is headquartered in Manama, will certainly be beneficial to strengthening regional maritime security.

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In his remarks at the fourth India-Bahrain High Joint Commission meeting in Bahrain, Mr Jaishankar also spoke about peace and stability of West Asia.

”It is a region of deep strategic interest to India and certainly in recent times, it is a region where there is cause for deep concern particularly over the conflict in Gaza. India has a principled position. We condemn acts of terrorism and loss of civilian lives in the conflict,” he added.

The minister said India believes in adherence to international humanitarian law. New Delhi, he said, has emphasised the importance of safe and timely supply of humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine. ‘

‘And we call for an early ceasefire and release of all hostages. India has consistently supported the resolution of the Palestine issue through a Two-State solution. We have also contributed to the building of Palestinian institutions and capacities. And we certainly appreciate that Gulf countries are also working in the same direction,” he added.

On India’s ties with Bahrain, Mr Jaishankar observed that the two countries have made significant progress in recent years in trade and in investment. ”

We certainly would like to develop that positive momentum. And I want to say that India welcomes investors from Bahrain to come and explore opportunities in India,” he added.
Bahrain, he said, is a valuable partner for India in the Gulf region and New Delhi appreciates its support for India in regional and multilateral forums.

Meanwhile, Bahrain renewed its desire to conclude a bilateral agreement with India to eliminate double taxation with the aim of strengthening cooperation in tax matters and developing economic, commercial and investment opportunities between the two countries.

India and Bahrain emphasised the importance of bilateral collaboration in the field of health and pharmaceuticals and expressed satisfaction at the successful first Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting on Healthcare Cooperation.