Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hosted the Strategic Partnership Council’s inaugural Leaders’ Meeting. They talked about a variety of topics, including defense, energy security, and trade and investment.
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hosted the inaugural Strategic Partnership Council Leaders’ Meeting in Delhi.
The two presidents addressed bilateral cooperation in a variety of sectors, including energy security, commerce and investment, military and security, healthcare, and food security, among others. Arindam Bagchi, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), wrote on X.
The Saudi Crown Prince is in India on his second state visit since February 2019. On September 8, he landed in Delhi for the G20 Summit. He did, however, extend his stay for bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Modi.
The Prime Minister stated that he held “productive talks” with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Both leaders spoke on trade links and the “immense” potential for bilateral cooperation in sectors like as grid connectivity, renewable energy, food security, and semiconductors.
“I had a very positive conversation with His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.” We looked at our economic relationships and are certain that our countries’ commercial ties will continue to strengthen in the future. He stated on X that there was “enormous potential for collaboration in grid connectivity, renewable energy, food security, semiconductors, and supply chains.”
The Saudi leader arrived at the Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning and was greeted ceremonially, as is customary when a foreign leader visits the presidential compound. President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Modi, and senior ministers greeted him at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
In his remarks, the Saudi Crown Prince commended India on holding the G20 Summit successfully.
“I am delighted to be in India. Many announcements have been made that will benefit both the G20 countries and the rest of the globe. “We will collaborate to build a bright future for both countries,” he added.
He then met with Prime Minister Modi in the Hyderabad House, a location famous for diplomacy and the strengthening of connections with many nations.
A high-level entourage, comprising ministries and senior officials, is accompanying the Saudi Crown Prince.
The Saudi Crown Prince would be welcomed by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan later that evening, providing a venue for a discussion that affirms shared interests and discussions on regional and global concerns that concern both countries.
The Saudi Crown Prince’s visit follows a significant milestone in economic relations, with bilateral trade reaching an all-time high of $52.75 billion in fiscal year 2022-23. India and Saudi Arabia are important trading partners for each other, with Riyadh being New Delhi’s fourth-largest commercial partner and vice versa.
Additionally, amid the G20 Summit, Saudi Arabia collaborated with other countries, notably India, to launch a sizable railway and port project to expedite the transport of trade, energy, and data from India via the Middle East to Europe.
WHAT IS THE COUNCIL FOR INDIA-SAUDI STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP?
The India-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council was founded during Prime Minister Modi’s October 2019 visit to Saudi Arabia as a framework to simplify and expand bilateral cooperation across all disciplines.
The council is run by two ministerial committees that focus on political, security, social, and cultural cooperation, as well as economic and investment cooperation, and it provides a formal framework to develop greater collaboration and understanding between the two nations.
The first Leaders’ Meeting of the Council, co-chaired by Prime Minister Modi and the Saudi Crown Prince during this visit, demonstrates a commitment to growing this cooperation to new heights, including a wide range of bilateral concerns and potential for collaborative undertakings.