India, Bahrain welcome progress in Bilateral Investment Treaty negotiations, express commitment to combat cross-border terrorism

New Delhi [India], November 4 (ANI): India and Bahrain on Monday unequivocally condemned terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations and reaffirmed their strong commitment to combat terrorism, including cross-border terrorism.
In a joint statement after the Fifth High Joint Commission (HJC) between India and Bahrain which was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and visiting Foreign Minister of Bahrain Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani, both sides noted the progress made toward establishing the Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment as also on the commencement of negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two countries.
Both sides welcomed the progress made in ongoing negotiations for a Bilateral Investment Treaty.
The two Ministers also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest. They welcomed the positive development regarding the situation in Gaza, which has helped to ease geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, and stressed the importance of implementing the terms of President Trump's peace plan by all parties.
India and Bahrain expressed commitment to combat the threat of terrorism through enhanced bilateral and multilateral cooperation, including intelligence sharing, capacity building and cyber security.
"The two sides unequivocally condemned terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations and reaffirmed strong commitment to combat terrorism, including cross-border terrorism. Both sides strongly condemned the armed terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, and expressed solidarity with the victims and the families," the statement said.
India faces cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. "Both sides welcome the exchange of high-level visits between both countries, and acknowledged the visit of a high-level all-party parliamentary delegation from India to Bahrain on 24 May 2025, led by Member of Parliament Baijayant Panda. The visit reflected India's diplomatic outreach in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack and underscored the two countries' united stance against terrorism," the statement said.
The delegation's engagement with Bahraini dignitaries and the Indian diaspora further reinforced the shared commitment to peace, security and fight against terrorism in all forms, it added.
India and Bahrain welcomed the progress made on trade, economic and commerce front. Noting the steady growth of bilateral trade, which has reached USD 1.64 billion (F.Y. 2024-25), and acknowledging that India is among the top five trading partners of the Kingdom of Bahrain, they emphasised the potential for further growth and diversification of trade in areas such as electronics, petroleum products, processed foods, base metals and gems and jewellery.
Both sides agreed to develop a common understanding to commence a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) negotiations. This would help eliminate double taxation, provide tax certainty and promote trade and investment.
Bahrain EDB reaffirmed its commitment to support Indian investments into Bahrain across multiple sectors including but not limited to Manufacturing, Logistics, ICT, Tourism, Financial Services, Education and Healthcare.
"Bahrain EDB considers India a strategic market and remains committed to maintaining regular engagement and visits to the country. The two sides welcomed the role of Mumtalakat, the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Bahrain, in enhancing bilateral investment cooperation. They recognized India's strong potential as a destination for future Mumtalakat investments, particularly in sectors such as FinTech, infrastructure and renewable energy which align with Mumtalakat's long-term strategic priorities," the statement said.
Both sides acknowledged ongoing efforts to strengthen cooperation in the fields of healthcare including in health services and medical care; medical and clinical research; pharmaceuticals and medical devices, among others.
Both sides expressed satisfaction at the progress made in deepening collaboration in various facets of space cooperation, and both sides are currently working on finalizing the draft MoU between BSA (Bahrain Space Agency) and NSIL (New Space India Limited) to further strengthen the cooperation within the space sector.
The two sides expressed optimism for enhancing future collaboration in the areas of defence and security. The visit of three Indian naval ships to Bahrain in September 2025 has helped deepen engagement between the two sides and reaffirmed India's commitment to regional maritime security, the statement noted.
Both sides expressed satisfaction at the ongoing cooperation in the area of culture. In this regard, they agreed to further deepen cultural engagement through exchanges in the field of art, music, literature and cultural festivals. Both sides will also make preparations for celebrating the 55th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations in 2026.
The statement said that India and Bahrain share strong people-to-people ties. The two sides positively appraised the introduction by Indian side of electronic visa system for Bahraini nationals across nine categories in July 2025 which will further boost the tourism from Bahrain to India. Both sides welcomed the contributions of the Indian Diaspora in Bahrain and the productive cooperation between the relevant authorities on immigration, consular and labour matters. (ANI)