MEA Secy Sripriya Ranganathan to embark on six-day visit to Egypt, Palestine and Lebanon

According to an official statement by the MEA on Saturday, the high-level visit aims to reinforce India's long-standing friendly ties with the three nations while providing an opportunity for comprehensive discussions on pressing regional developments and matters of mutual interest.

During her six-day tour, Secretary Ranganathan will hold bilateral discussions with her official counterparts and engage with key regional stakeholders.

A central highlight of her itinerary in Egypt includes delivering the keynote address at the inaugural session of the seminar "India-Egypt in BRICS: Towards a Stronger Voice for the Global South." The session will focus on exploring strategic avenues to deepen the India-Egypt bilateral partnership within the expanded BRICS framework.

This marks Ambassador Ranganathan's maiden visit to Egypt, Palestine, and Lebanon in her current capacity as Secretary (CPV & OIA), a key engagement expected to further solidify India's diplomatic footprint and strategic outreach across the region.

Earlier in July, reaffirming its traditional foreign policy stance, India has backed Palestine's bid for full United Nations membership and reiterated its commitment to a negotiated resolution to the protracted conflict in the region.

New Delhi's diplomatic position was conveyed by Sripriya Ranganathan, Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), during a ministerial meeting of the Palestine Donor Group convened in Brussels on Monday.

The high-level session brought together delegates from the European Union, its member nations, Palestine, international partners and financial organisations to deliberate on financial backing for the Palestinian Authority and the delivery of humanitarian aid to its citizens.

At the forum, Ranganathan emphasised that India has been a long-standing partner of the Palestinian people and reaffirmed India's continued support for a "two-state" solution, as well as Palestine's membership of the UN.

Highlighting India's constructive role, the MEA noted that New Delhi has been backing a vision of a "two-state" solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security within recognised borders, consistent with international law.

Demonstrating this enduring commitment, the MEA Secretary detailed India's robust developmental footprint in the region, highlighting ongoing capacity-building programmes and humanitarian assistance extended to the Palestinian population. (ANI)