India and Sudan held the ninth Foreign Office Consultations in Port Sudan, reviewing cooperation across sectors and reaffirming vows to combat terrorism.
A fresh round of diplomacy in Port Sudan underscored that India-Sudan ties are moving on multiple fronts, from health and education to security.. The ninth Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) brought both sides together to review the full range of bilateral engagement and reaffirm their commitment to cooperation across sectors, with counter-terrorism at the center of discussions.
The talks were co-chaired by Joint Secretary (WANA) M Suresh Kumar and Undersecretary of Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Maowia Osman Khalid Mohammed.. According to Misryoum, the agenda covered political engagement, trade and investment, capacity building, healthcare, education, energy, mining, agriculture, small and medium enterprises, and digital public infrastructure, along with people-to-people exchanges.
Insight: When diplomacy spans both development and security, it signals that governments are treating cooperation as a single package rather than separate tracks.
Beyond bilateral matters, both sides exchanged views on regional and international developments of mutual interest.. Misryoum reports that the consultations also reiterated a shared commitment to deepening South-South cooperation, reflecting a broader push to strengthen ties with partners in the Global South.
A prominent focus was Sudan’s strong condemnation of terrorism, including the attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam last year. Both sides resolved to fight extremism in all its forms, emphasizing their determination to confront terrorism as a shared concern.
Insight: Reaffirming counter-terrorism cooperation in a wide-ranging meeting can help align policy responses and reduce uncertainty during periods of heightened regional concern.
During the visit, the Indian delegation met Sudan’s Minister of Health Heitham Mohammed Ibrahim, who welcomed India’s humanitarian assistance and ongoing healthcare cooperation. Misryoum notes that engagement included support initiatives such as a prosthetic limb camp conducted in Sudan.
The delegation also met the Governor of Red Sea State, Mustafa Md Noor, to discuss sub-national cooperation and development initiatives.. Misryoum says the consultations included a review of progress since the previous round and reflected satisfaction with the steady expansion of bilateral engagement.
Insight: Cooperation that reaches states and ministries, not only national capitals, often makes agreements easier to sustain and more visible to communities.
India highlighted continued support through capacity-building programmes under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) initiative and ICCR scholarships, which Sudan recognized as contributors to human resource development.. Misryoum reports that both countries agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi at a mutually convenient date, maintaining momentum in their diplomatic engagement.
In this context, the ninth FOC looks designed to keep bilateral cooperation moving, linking development priorities with security commitments while reinforcing long-term diplomatic continuity.