The three-day conclave will bring together policymakers, diplomats and business leaders from India and six Gulf nations to discuss AI, investment, connectivity and economic cooperation.
India and the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will hold discussions on artificial intelligence (AI), energy, technology and investment cooperation at the Kochi Dialogue 2026, scheduled to take place from November 18 to 20 in Kochi, Kerala.
The three-day diplomatic conclave, organised by India's Ministry of External Affairs and the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), will bring together policymakers, government officials, diplomats, technology experts and business leaders from India and the GCC member states.
The participating Gulf nations include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain.
Themed "Towards an Innovative and Integrated India-GCC Partnership: Resilience, Reinvention, Redefinition," the forum will focus on strengthening economic and strategic cooperation across emerging technologies, energy, logistics and regional connectivity.
According to the organisers, discussions will examine opportunities for investment, trade facilitation, institutional partnerships and collaboration in sectors including healthcare, technology, food security and infrastructure.
The conclave will also address challenges related to supply chain disruptions, regional security and changing global economic conditions.
Dr. Dhanuraj, Chairman of the Centre for Public Policy Research, said the dialogue aims to strengthen engagement between India and the Gulf countries by bringing together stakeholders from government, industry and research institutions.
He emphasised the importance of balancing bilateral engagement with multilateral discussions to develop a broader framework for cooperation between India and the GCC.
The upcoming edition follows the inaugural Kochi Dialogue held in January 2025, which focused on trade and regulatory barriers. The 2026 discussions will expand the agenda to include capital flows, energy security, innovation and connectivity.
Dr. Dhritishree Bordalai, Senior Research Associate at CPPR, said the expected outcomes include stronger engagement on investment opportunities, trade facilitation, strategic cooperation and institutional partnerships.
The discussions are also expected to identify areas of mutual interest and address existing barriers to collaboration across emerging sectors.
The event comes amid substantial economic ties between India and the Gulf region. India-GCC bilateral trade reached $179 billion during the financial year 2024-25, while cumulative investments from GCC countries into India exceeded $21.14 billion as of September 2025.
The Gulf region accounts for more than 15 per cent of India's global trade and is home to nearly 10 million Indians, reflecting the scale of economic and people-to-people connections.
Organisers have also highlighted the importance of cooperation in addressing geopolitical uncertainty, disruptions to critical trade routes and supply chain vulnerabilities.
The Kochi Dialogue 2026 is expected to provide a platform for government and industry representatives to examine potential partnerships in AI, technology, energy and infrastructure, alongside broader discussions on trade and regional economic cooperation.
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