Indian Diplomat Meets Palestinian PM Mustafa to Strengthen Bilateral Ties
Senior Indian diplomat Sripriya Ranganathan holds talks with Palestinian leadership on political engagement, development cooperation and healthcare assistance.
JERUSALEM, Aug 19: India on Wednesday reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening ties with Palestine as senior diplomat Sripriya Ranganathan met Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa in Ramallah and held discussions on expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Ranganathan, Secretary (Consular, Passport and Visa and Overseas Indian Affairs), is visiting Egypt, Palestine and Lebanon from August 16 to 21. During her visit to Ramallah, she also met Majdi Al-Khaldi, Diplomatic Adviser to the Palestinian President, to review the broader scope of bilateral relations.
The Representative Office of India to Palestine said discussions with Mustafa focused on taking forward the longstanding partnership between the two sides and expanding cooperation in priority sectors.
In her meeting with Al-Khaldi, Ranganathan discussed political engagement and development cooperation. She reiterated India’s continued support for the Palestinian people and explored opportunities to broaden development initiatives in health, education and skills development.
The visit also placed significant emphasis on healthcare cooperation. Ranganathan met Palestinian Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan and discussed measures to strengthen India’s assistance to the Palestinian health sector.
India’s contribution has included essential medicines, anti-cancer drugs, an artificial limb fitment camp and the deployment of an Indian field hospital in Gaza. During the meeting, Ranganathan handed over a consignment of medicines from the Government of India to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
The Indian mission said the assistance reflected New Delhi’s continued commitment to supporting healthcare services for Palestinians.
Ranganathan also visited a health centre operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Officials briefed her on medical services being delivered to local communities.
India has continued its support for UNRWA’s efforts to provide healthcare, education and other essential services to Palestinians, the mission said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Ranganathan met Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin. During the interaction, she reiterated India’s longstanding support for a negotiated two-state solution.
She also stressed the importance of sustained humanitarian assistance for people affected by the Gaza crisis, along with continued dialogue and diplomatic efforts.
The meetings during Ranganathan’s regional visit underline India’s focus on maintaining political engagement with Palestine while expanding development and humanitarian cooperation in sectors directly affecting the Palestinian population.
