India working to elevate buyer-seller relations engagement to a strategic partnership: MEA

India's engagement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is moving towards a strategic partnership, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The parliamentary committee on external affairs highlighted India's trade deficit with the GCC countries and expressed concerns about the presence of China and Pakistan in the Gulf region. The MEA emphasized India's ongoing efforts to strengthen its historical relations with the GCC countries and its collaboration with like-minded countries through the I2U2 grouping.