India, Palestine Review Development Cooperation In Health, Education And Capacity-Building
India and Palestine discuss new development initiatives in Ramallah.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary Sripriya Ranganathan on Wednesday met Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa in Ramallah and discussed ways to strengthen the longstanding India-Palestine partnership. The talks focused on expanding bilateral cooperation across areas of mutual interest, including new initiatives in health, education and skills development. Ranganathan also met Majdi Al-Khaldi, Diplomatic Advisor to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, during her ongoing visit.
During her meeting with Al-Khaldi, the MEA Secretary reviewed the broader India-Palestine partnership, including political engagement and development cooperation. She reaffirmed India's continued support for the Palestinian people and discussed new development initiatives being launched during the visit. The engagement also covered areas where India's development experience could contribute to addressing Palestinian needs and strengthening existing cooperation.
Ranganathan separately met Palestinian Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan and discussed ways to further strengthen India's assistance to the Palestinian health sector. India's support includes essential medicines and anti-cancer drugs, an artificial limb fitment camp and the deployment of an Indian field hospital in Gaza. During the meeting, she handed over a consignment of medicines from the Government of India to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
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The MEA Secretary also visited the Health Centre of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Ramallah, where she was briefed on healthcare services being provided to Palestinians. India reiterated its continued support to UNRWA in providing health, education and other essential services. The visit underlined India's broader humanitarian assistance and development engagement with Palestinian institutions and international agencies.
On Tuesday, Ranganathan met Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin and discussed the current situation in Palestine, developments in Gaza, humanitarian requirements and India's development partnership. India reaffirmed its support for the Palestinian people and a negotiated two-State solution, while expressing concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza and stressing the need for safe, sustained and unhindered humanitarian assistance to civilians.
The discussions also covered India's ongoing development projects, capacity-building programmes, scholarships, humanitarian assistance and contributions to Palestinian institutions and UN agencies. Progress on the Government of India-funded Palestinian Institute of Diplomacy and anticipated cooperation with the Sushma Swaraj Foreign Service Institute also received attention. Ranganathan is visiting Egypt, Palestine and Lebanon from August 16 to 21 as part of India's continuing diplomatic and development engagement in the region.
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