- India has been invited to a ministerial meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC), a powerful block of Muslim nations.
- This is the first time India has been invited to the OIC after 1969, when then Indian minister was disinvited on arriving at Morocco, after Pakistan’s President protested against Indian participation.
- Organisation of Islamic Cooperation is an international organization founded in 1969, consisting of 57 member states. It’s Administrative headquarters is at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.The OIC has permanent delegations to the United Nations and the European Union.
- The organisation states that (a) it is the collective voice of the Muslim world and (b) works to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony.
- India has been blocked by Pakistan from joining the OIC over Kashmir issue.
