Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain and his Indian counterpart, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, are likely to hold a meeting on the sidelines of the 8th Indian Ocean Conference to be held in Muscat, Oman, on February 16-17.
"There is a possibility.....we expect that the meeting will be held," Spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Rafiqul Alam told reporters at the weekly briefing on Thursday.
Foreign Adviser Hossain is now in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and is scheduled to go to Muscat on February 14.
This would be their second meeting since the formation of the interim government led by Prof Muhammad Yunus in August last year.
Adviser Hossain and Minister Jaishankar had their first meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September last year.
The 8th Indian Ocean Conference is being organised by India Foundation in association with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Oman. The theme of the Indian Ocean Conference this year is "Voyages to New Horizons of Maritime Partnership."
The Indian Ocean Conference was started by India Foundation in 2016 in Singapore, with participation from 30 countries.
In the last 8 years, the conference has emerged as the flagship consultative forum for countries in the region over regional affairs.
The conference endeavours to bring critical states and principal maritime partners of the region together on a common platform to deliberate upon the prospects of regional cooperation for Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).
The Foreign Adviser is scheduled to return home on February 18 after attending the Indian Ocean Conference.
In Muscat, President of the India Foundation Ram Madhav on Wednesday said the conference brings together the countries of the Indian Ocean region. "It has become a calendar event, not only in the region but the entire world.”
Oman Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi (host) along with foreign ministers of Australia Penny Wong, Bahrain Abdullatif Bin Rashid, Bhutan DN Dhungyel, Iran Abbas Araghchi, Maldives FM Abdulla Khaleel, Mauritius D Ramful, Nepal Arzu Rana Deuba, Sri Lanka Vijitha Herath, Seychelles Errol Fonseka, Eritrea FM Osman Saleh, will be present in Muscat.
Around 27 foreign ministers will be attending the gathering, with delegations from 45 countries in attendance.
The conference aligns with Oman’s Vision 2040, which focuses on economic diversification, environmental sustainability, and promoting renewable energy.