External Affairs Ministry approves Pinarayi Vijayan’s Gulf visit to Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and UAE, but denies permission for Saudi Arabia
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s much-anticipated Gulf tour has received the green light from India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) — with the exception of Saudi Arabia, which has been excluded from his official itinerary. The chief minister will now visit Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), beginning his multi-nation trip on Tuesday, reported timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
Permission for Saudi leg denied; tour schedule adjusted accordingly.
Along with the chief minister, Minister Saji Cherian and V.M. Suneesh, the CM’s personal assistant, have also been granted official travel permits. According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the itinerary will commence with an expatriate Malayali gathering in Bahrain on October 16. The denial of permission for Saudi Arabia, where Vijayan had planned public events in Dammam, Jeddah, and Riyadh, has led to adjustments in the travel schedule.
Vijayan will arrive in Muscat on October 22, attend a public function on October 24, and travel to Salalah the following day. He will then return to Kochi on October 26, before proceeding to Qatar on the night of October 28. After participating in an event in Qatar on October 30, the chief minister will return to Thiruvananthapuram.
CM to visit Kuwait and UAE next month; five-day stay in Abu Dhabi planned
The next leg of the tour includes a visit to Kuwait on November 5, followed by a five-day stay in Abu Dhabi. During his UAE visit, Vijayan is expected to attend multiple community engagements. Notably, his son Vivek Kiran is employed in Abu Dhabi, where the CM will conclude his Gulf tour.
The visit aims to strengthen ties with the expatriate Malayali community, explore economic cooperation, and promote investment opportunities in Kerala.
