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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held wide-ranging talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, focusing on shoring up bilateral trade and defence ties. Bin Salman is currently on a State visit to India following the end of the G20 Summit. Ahead of the talks, the Crown Prince was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
“I am very glad to be here in India. I want to congratulate India for the G20 Summit,” Bin Salman told reporters after the ceremonial welcome. The Saudi leader said the announcements made at the summit will benefit the world. “We will work together to create a great future for both countries,” he said.
PM Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held the first leaders’ meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council on Monday and discussed cooperation in areas such as energy security, trade and investment, defence and security, healthcare and food security.
PM Modi said in his opening remarks that the talks with the visiting Saudi Arabian leader will provide new energy and direction to ties between the two nations.
Saudi Arabia is one of India’s key strategic partners in the Middle East. The overall relations between the two countries have witnessed a significant upward trajectory in the last few years. The two sides have also been focusing on strengthening their defence and security partnership.
Taking to X, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi wrote, “Transforming India-Saudi Arabia ties! PM Modi and Crown Prince and PM of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman held bilateral talks. The two leaders reviewed the various facets of bilateral ties and discussed ways to further unlock the potential of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership.”
The two leaders also signed the minutes of the first meeting of the India-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council held at Hyderabad House.
The then Chief of Army Staff Gen MM Naravane visited Saudi Arabia in December 2020 in the first-ever visit by the head of the 1.3 million-strong Army to the important Gulf nation. Since then, there have been a series of visits of high-ranking military officials between the two sides.
(With inputs from agencies)
