Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, invited by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The visit, taking place from April 22-23, aims to further strengthen the growing partnership between India and Saudi Arabia across various sectors, including defence, trade, investment, energy, and people-to-people ties.
In a statement before his departure, PM Modi highlighted the importance of the India-Saudi Arabia relationship, noting the significant progress made in the past decade. “Leaving for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where I will be attending various meetings and programmes. India values our historic relations with Saudi Arabia. Bilateral ties have gained significant momentum in the last decade. I look forward to participating in the 2nd Meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council. I will also be interacting with the Indian community there,” PM Modi said in a post on X.
This marks PM Modi’s third visit to Saudi Arabia, while his predecessors collectively visited the kingdom three times in the past seven decades. This is also his 15th visit to a country in the Gulf region, underlining the importance of India’s growing relations with the Gulf countries.
During his visit, India and Saudi Arabia are expected to sign at least six memoranda of understanding (MoUs), with further talks ongoing to finalize additional agreements. PM Modi will also discuss important matters related to the Hajj pilgrimage, including the quota for Indian pilgrims, in his meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
