In a historic gesture aimed at improving ties between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi will attend the Kochi Dialogue 2025, a Track 1.5 diplomacy event set for January 16-17 in Kerala's commercial heartland.

The two-day seminar, hosted by the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) in partnership with India's Ministry of External Affairs, will focus on "India's Look West Policy in Action: People, Prosperity, and Progress." It is the first event of its type, aimed at improving cooperation across important sectors such as trade, energy, education, and maritime security.

Key policymakers, business leaders, and diplomats from both areas will meet to discuss long-term solutions to geopolitical, governance, and international trade issues. With its strategic focus, the event emphasizes India's expanding involvement with the GCC, a bloc critical to India's energy security and home to more than 8 million Indian expats.

The importance of the Kochi Dialogue 2025 cannot be underestimated. As a forum for high-level diplomacy and policy debate, it is an important step in India's continuous efforts to develop ties with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The summit will not only strengthen India's "Look West" policy, but will also open the way for more collaboration in critical sectors including as commerce, energy, security, and education.

Given the GCC's strategic importance in global geopolitics, and India's reliance on the region for energy and remittances, the dialogue will be critical in establishing a strong, future-proof cooperation. The attendance of prominent lawmakers, corporate executives, and specialists demonstrates the growing importance of this bilateral relationship, which is expected to have long-term economic, cultural, and geopolitical ramifications.

The dialogue will focus on six primary themes, including increasing commerce through accords such as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), improving maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region, and extending collaboration in education, healthcare, and energy innovation. Discussions will also include the Indian diaspora's role in promoting economic growth and cultural diplomacy.

Former Indian ambassadors to the Gulf Cooperation Council, 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, are among the notable speakers.

With India's "Look West" policy gaining traction, the Kochi Dialogue 2025 aims to establish Kochi as a hub of intellectual exchange and policy innovation. The event underscores India's broader goals of strengthening its presence in the Gulf while fostering shared wealth and progress.