PM Modi's Visit to Saudi Arabia Strengthens Strategic Ties and Cooperation in Defence & Energy

New Delhi, April 23 (NationPress) India and Saudi Arabia have enhanced their bilateral Strategic Partnership Council by introducing two new ministerial committees -- one focused on defence cooperation and the other on tourism and culture -- during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to the Middle Eastern nation on Tuesday.

This marks PM Modi's third visit to Saudi Arabia, invited by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. The visit was, however, abbreviated due to the Pahalgam terror attack.

The two leaders co-chaired the second meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council and expressed satisfaction over the strengthening of cooperation across multiple sectors including defence, energy, trade, investment, technology, and education. The Council has now expanded to include four ministerial committees, showcasing the growing engagement between the two nations, as detailed in the joint statement released on Wednesday.

Both parties agreed to schedule the next meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council at a mutually convenient time.

They acknowledged the consistent growth in bilateral trade, with India now recognized as Saudi Arabia’s second-largest trading partner and the Kingdom being India’s fifth-largest. They also agreed to hasten discussions on the India-GCC Free Trade Agreement and signed several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) covering health, space, postal services, and anti-doping cooperation.

PM Modi congratulated the Crown Prince for Saudi Arabia's successful bids for World Expo 2030 and FIFA World Cup 2034, and for the successful organization of the Hajj in 2024. He expressed appreciation for the excellent coordination between the two nations in facilitating the Hajj and Umrah experience for Indian pilgrims.

Both leaders acknowledged the efforts aimed at achieving Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia and Viksit Bharat 2047 in India. They consented to collaborate in areas of mutual interest to achieve their national objectives and foster shared prosperity.

The statement indicated that defence has emerged as a pivotal area for collaboration. The leaders praised joint exercises such as 'SADA TANSEEQ' and 'AL MOHED AL HINDI', along with the recent initiation of tri-service staff-level discussions. The establishment of a ministerial committee on defence and the focus on enhancing defence industry connections further highlighted a significant milestone in strategic cooperation.

In the energy sector, both nations consented to bolster cooperation in oil, renewables, and green hydrogen. A joint study is currently underway regarding an electricity interconnection project. They also agreed to collaborate closely on crude oil supply, refining, grid security, and energy efficiency.

In terms of climate change, both parties reaffirmed the significance of adhering to the principles set forth in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, emphasizing the necessity to formulate and execute climate agreements with a focus on emissions rather than sources.

India praised Saudi Arabia's launch of the 'Saudi Green Initiative' and the 'Middle East Green Initiative', expressing support for the Kingdom's climate change endeavors, as stated.

From an economic perspective, both sides expressed satisfaction with the progress of the High-Level Task Force, which includes developments on establishing two joint refineries and enhancing investment facilitation through the India Desk at Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). Both nations also committed to expediting a Bilateral Investment Treaty.

Cultural and educational exchanges were also prioritized, with both nations encouraging greater collaboration in film, literature, heritage, sports, and academic partnerships. Saudi Arabia welcomed Indian universities' presence in the Kingdom and agreed to boost cooperation in tourism and media.

Meanwhile, PM Modi commended the Saudi side for the ongoing welfare of around 2.7 million Indian nationals residing there, reflecting the strong people-to-people ties between the two nations, according to the statement.

In international forums, India and Saudi Arabia reaffirmed their commitment to enhanced coordination within the G20, the IMF, and the World Bank to tackle economic challenges. They reiterated support for climate action initiatives and regional peace efforts, particularly in Yemen.

The leaders condemned the terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and called for global action against terrorism and its financing, denouncing any association of terror with race or religion.

"They agreed that no act of terror can be justified for any reason. They opposed any attempts to connect terrorism to specific races, religions, or cultures. They welcomed the exemplary cooperation between the two nations in counter-terrorism and combating terror financing. They condemned cross-border terrorism and urged all states to renounce the use of terrorism against other countries, dismantle terrorism infrastructure where it exists, and swiftly bring perpetrators of terrorism to justice," the statement revealed.

During PM Modi's visit, the MoU regarding cooperation in the realm of medical products regulation between the Saudi Food and Drug Authority and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) was renewed for an additional five years.

India and Saudi Arabia also reminisced about the signing of the MoU on the principles of an India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor with other countries in September 2023 during the Crown Prince's state visit to India, expressing mutual commitment to work collectively to realize the "vision of connectivity as envisaged in the corridor."