External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Sunday that religion must be "delinked" from terror, PTI reported. Speaking at the first ministerial meeting of the India-Arab League Cooperation Forum being held in Bahrain, she said, "Terrorists use religion, but inflict harm on people of all faiths." She also described the meet with the foreign affairs ministers of the Arab world as a "turning point" in India's relations with these states.

Swaraj met with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on Saturday. The leaders discussed numerous subjects related to bilateral ties, on the sidelines of the Bahrain International Air Show in capital city Manama, where they watched India’s Sarang Team with Dhruv helicopters and Light Combat Aircraft Tejas perform aerobatics, PTI reported.

Swaraj will be in Manama for two days, with the forum being the key event on her agenda. This is the first time the two sides are meeting since November 2014, when the first Senior Officials Meeting was held in New Delhi. Among other subjects such as trade, investment, energy and culture, discussions will be focussed on counter-terrorism cooperation, given the growing threat of the Islamic State in the region. During her visit, the minister also will hold meetings with foreign ministers of a number of Arab League countries.