PM cuts short Jeddah visit, both the coutries release joint statement

India and Saudi Arabia resolved to bolster cooperation in energy, defense, and security sectors on Tuesday, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on a state visit to the Middle Eastern country, cut short his trip following the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26.

As news of the attack broke, Modi delayed his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman by two hours to assess the situation and skipped an official dinner.

The Crown Prince held extensive talks with Modi on Tuesday and co-chaired the 2nd India–Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council (SPC) at the Royal Palace in Jeddah.

The Saudi price strongly condemned the Pahalgam attack and expressed condolences for the innocent lives lost, said ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on X, formerly Twitter.

Upon arriving in Jeddah, Modi had posted on X, “This visit will strengthen the friendship between India and Saudi Arabia.”

During their meeting, the leaders reviewed progress on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, signed in September 2023, and reaffirmed their commitment to developing infrastructure, including railways and port linkages. They welcomed the growth in shipping lines between the two nations.

India is Saudi Arabia’s second-largest trading partner, and in 2023-24, Saudi Arabia will rank fifth among India’s top trading partners. Both sides agreed to further diversify bilateral trade and expand cooperation in energy, including crude and liquefied petroleum gas supplies.

They also reviewed progress under the high-level task force (HLTF), set up in 2024 to boost investment flows.

Both leaders reviewed the progress made in the discussions under the High-Level Task Force (HLTF), constituted in 2024 to promote investment flows between the two countries.

In Jeddah, during a bilateral meeting, both leaders reviewed progress on the Principles of an India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, which India and Saudi Arabia signed with other countries in September 2023. Both expressed a commitment to working together on the corridor, including developing infrastructure that includes railways and port linkages.

They also expressed satisfaction with the increase in shipping lines between the two countries.

India is Saudi Arabia’s second-largest trading partner, and in 2023-2024, Saudi Arabia will be India’s fifth-largest trading partner. Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation cooperation further to diversify their bilateral trade. The leaders also agreed to boost cooperation in the energy sector, including in the supply of crude and liquefied petroleum gas.

Both Leaders reviewed the progress made in the discussions under the High-Level Task Force (HLTF), constituted in 2024 to promote investment flows between the two countries.

Saudi Arabia will invest in India in multiple areas, including energy, petrochemicals, infrastructure, technology, fintech, digital infrastructure, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and health; the High-Level Task Force came to an understanding in multiple areas, which will rapidly promote such investment flows, the joint statement added.

In the field of energy, India agreed to work with the Kingdom to enhance the stability of global oil markets and to balance global energy market dynamics.

They emphasized the need to ensure the security of supply for all energy sources in global markets.

They agreed on the importance of enhancing cooperation in several areas in the energy sector, including the supply of crude oil and its derivatives, including LPG, collaboration in India’s Strategic Reserve Program, and joint projects across the refining and petrochemical sectors; both the sides will be exchanging expertise in the fields of grid automation, grid connectivity, electrical grid security and resilience, and renewable energy projects and energy storage technologies, and enhancing the participation of companies from both sides in implementing their projects.