India, GCC discuss ways to bolster co-operation; adopt Joint Action Plan

India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Monday discussed ways of bolstering cooperation between the two sides as they covered a range of topics and adopted a Joint Action Plan for undertaking various activities in diverse areas, including health, trade, security, energy, agriculture and food security.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who co-chaired the first India-GCC Joint Ministerial Meeting for Strategic Dialogue along with Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, said that the GCC as a collective entity has vital significance for India and constitutes the "extended" neighbourhood of India.

In a post on X, Jaishankar said he underlined four key pillars of partnership - People, Prosperity, Progress and ing as a living bridge between Security.