In a landmark initiative aimed at strengthening ties between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Secretary General of the GCC Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi will attend the Kochi Dialogue 2025, a Track 1.5 diplomacy event scheduled for January 16-17 in Kerala’s commercial hub.
Organised by the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) in collaboration with India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the two-day event will focus on “India’s Look West Policy in Action: People, Prosperity, and Progress.” It marks the first event of its kind designed to enhance cooperation across critical sectors, including trade, energy, education, and maritime security.
Key policymakers, business leaders, and diplomats from both regions will convene to explore sustainable solutions to shared challenges in geopolitics, governance, and international trade. With its strategic focus, the event underscores India’s growing engagement with the GCC, a bloc pivotal to India’s energy security and home to over 8 million Indian expatriates.
The significance of the Kochi Dialogue 2025 cannot be overstated. As a platform for high-level diplomacy and policy discussion, it represents a crucial step in India’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The meeting will not only serve to solidify India’s “Look West” policy but also pave the way for deeper collaboration across vital sectors, from trade and energy to security and education. Given the GCC’s strategic importance in global geopolitics and India’s dependency on the region for energy and remittances, the dialogue will play a key role in shaping a robust, future-proof partnership. The presence of top policymakers, business leaders, and experts reflects the growing importance of this bilateral relationship, which is set to have lasting economic, cultural, and geopolitical implications.
The dialogue will delve into six major themes, including boosting trade under agreements like the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), enhancing maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region, and expanding collaboration in education, healthcare, and energy innovation. Discussions will also address the Indian diaspora’s role in fostering economic growth and cultural diplomacy.
Notable speakers include former Indian ambassadors to GCC nations, policy experts, and leaders such as Dr Ebtesam Al-Ketbi, President of the Emirates Policy Center, and Admiral Sunil Lanba, former Chief of the Indian Navy.
With India’s “Look West” policy gaining momentum, the Kochi Dialogue 2025 seeks to position Kochi as a hub for intellectual exchange and policy innovation. The event reflects India’s broader ambitions to solidify its presence in the Gulf while promoting shared prosperity and progress.