Gaza situation 'foremost concern', India supports ceasefire 'as soon as possible': Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday described the situation in Gaza as Indias foremost concern and said New Delhi supports an IsraelHamas ceasefire as soon as possibleJaishankar made the remarks while speaking at the first IndiaGulf Cooperation Council GCC Ministerial Meeting for Strategic Dialogue in the Saudi capitalThe current situation in Gaza is now understandably our foremost concern Indias position in this regard has been principled and consistent While we condemn acts of terrorism and hostage taking we are deeply pained by the continuing death of innocent civilians he saidJaishankar said that any response must take into account the principles of humanitarian law We support a ceasefire as soon as possible he addedOn October 7 Hamas which rules the Gaza Strip launched an unprecedented attack on Israel by land air and sea killing 1200 people and kidnapping 250 others Israel launched offensive in Gaza causing widespread devastation and killing around 40000 people according to local health officialsThe two sides have so far failed to reach a ceasefire to end the 11monthold conflictJaishankar said India has consistently stood for a resolution of the Palestinian issue through a twostate solution India has also contributed to the building of Palestinian institutions and capacities he addedWhere the humanitarian situation is concerned we have provided relief and increased our support to UNRWA he addedThe GCC is an influential grouping comprising the United Arab Emirates Bahrain Saudi Arabia Oman Qatar and Kuwait The total volume of Indias trade with GCC countries stood at USD 18446 billion in the financial year 202223Jaishankar said it was a great pleasure for him to participate in the first IndiaGCC Ministerial Meeting for Strategic Dialogue and added that the meeting is not just an occasion to reflect on achievements but an opportunity to chart an ambitious and farreaching course for the futureThe relationship between India and the GCC is rooted in a rich tapestry of history culture and shared values These bonds have grown stronger with time evolving into a partnership that spans economics energy defence technology education peopletopeople ties and beyond he saidUnderlining that there are many ways to contemplate partnership between the two sides the minister offered the framework of 3Ps People Prosperity and ProgressOur peopletopeople ties are the bedrock of our relationship Close to 9 million Indians work and live amongst you acting as a living bridge between us Their contributions to your economic progress are widely recognized We thank you for ensuring their welfare and comfort he saidHe said trade has not only expanded in volume but also in diversity encompassing a wide range of goods and services that fuel economies and create jobs The task before us is to invest in each others future and support each others continued prosperity he saidHe identified the GCC as a cornerstone of global energy supply and said India is one of the worlds largest and fastestgrowing markets Much of the future demand is going to come from us Our deeper collaboration will help in stabilizing markets driving innovation and enhancing energy security he addedOur partnership in the areas of renewables technology and innovation health space and education can also help realize our respective national goals Jaishankar saidJaishankar said that the GCCIndia relationship is built on a foundation of trust mutual respect and a shared vision for the future It has a larger goal of advancing progress in a world that is characterized by technological advancements changing geopolitics shifts in the global economy and the urgent need to address environmental sustainability he saidNoting that the Gulf region occupies a central place in contemporary geopolitics the minister said that in a world polarised by conflict and tension we share a commitment to global peace security and stabilityUnderlining that sometimes it is adversity that brings out the real importance of friendships the minister said that the pandemic underlined how relevant we are to each other for health security food security and maritime securitySimilarly the demands of AI of electric mobility and of green growth highlight the importance of sharing human resources Conflict and tensions bring out the importance of cooperating on connectivity In a world moving towards multipolarity we can be mutually supportive of each others aspirations he saidLet us use this platform to deepen our ties explore new avenues of cooperation and build a collaborative future he saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever