Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Housing & Urban Affairs, Government of India, hosted H.E. Mr. Hayan Abdul Ghani Abdul Zahra Al Sawad, Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs, and Minister of Oil of the Republic of Iraq, at the 18^th India - Iraq Joint Commission Meeting (JCM), held in New Delhi today.

The Confederation of Indian Industry organized a Business Roundtable on 19th June 2023, between the Business Leaders of both countries.

During the Joint Commission Meeting held on 20th June 2023, Shri Hardeep Puri, in his opening remarks, highlighted the natural and traditional synergies which exist between the two countries, on account of India’s position as the growing energy demand centre of the World. He called for the strengthening of relations between the two sides including the Oil & Gas Sector, Capacity Building and Diversification of trade baskets between the two countries. He underlined the readiness of Indian companies to explore investment opportunities in Iraq, upgradation of infrastructure facilities of the oil & gas sector and their amenability for  sourcing of increased quantities of crude oil from Iraq based on appropriate pricing regime.

H.E. Mr. Hayan Abdul Ghani Abdul Zahra Al Sawad, in his remarks, recognized the importance of the apex institution of JCM for accelerating bilateral cooperation. He expressed the desire of Government of Iraq to welcome Indian companies to invest in Iraq including in rehabilitation projects.

During the meeting, both the Countries agreed to move from a buyer-seller relation to an energy partnership covering investments, trade and EPC services. Other important sectoral discussions covered Water Resource Management, Co-operation in Healthcare,  under which the Iraqi delegation thanked India for organizing the Jaipur Foot Camp for 1000 war veterans. The Deputy Prme Minister also appreciated the important role India was playing in providing high quality medical facilities to Iraqi nationals, also various Scholarships being offered by Government of India, being instrumental in capacity building of Iraq.

The 18^th JCM concluded by signing of Protocol between both Countries.

H.E. Mr. Hayan Abdul Ghani also called on the Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, on 19^th June 2023.

H.E. Mr. Hayan Abdul Ghani will also be meeting Minister of Health and Family Welfare,  Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya and the  Minister for Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, later today.

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RKJ

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