 "PM Narendra Modi's Saudi Arabia visit: What to expect")
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is heading to Saudi Arabia today (April 22).
Modi will be in Jeddah for two days and is set to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Modi’s trip comes in the backdrop of much political instability in West Asia.
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During a special press briefing on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that the visit will provide an important opportunity to discuss key regional and global issues.
These include the situation in West Asia, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and threats to maritime security due to Houthi attacks.
But what do we know about Modi’s trip? What can we expect?
Let’s take a closer look:
What do we know?
Modi will be in Jeddah on April 22 and April 23.
Modi is undertaking the trip at the invite of Salman, who is also the Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia.
This will be Modi’s third visit to the Kingdom – after 2019 and 2016.
The trip comes after Salman visited India in September 2023 for the G20 Summit.
Modi and Salman at the time co-chaired the first meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council.
What can we expect?
The trip will likely see New Delhi and Riyadh discuss expanding cooperation in an array of crucial areas including energy, defence and trade.
Mistry said a number of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) including one on green hydrogen, are expected to be signed, as per Moneycontrol.
As per The Print, Modi will co-chair the Strategic Partnership Council with Salman.
The SPC, set up in 2019, works on two tracks – political, security, social, and cultural cooperation and economy and investments, as per Moneycontrol.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThis meeting will likely track progress in these areas and set new goals for bilateral collaboration.
Defence coooperation is also set to figure high on the agenda.
According to the website, defence cooperation between the two countries has risen to new heights in keeping with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative.
The two countries have held a number of joint military exercises including the “Sada Tanseeq” in Rajasthan in January 2024, and the “Al Mohed Al Hindi” naval exercise.
India sealed its first defence contract with Saudi Arabia in February 2024.
As per The Print, Saudi Arabia also signed a $225 million deal for artillery shells from Munitions India Limited (MIL).
Saudi Arabia bought defence equipment from New Delhi including the 155mm Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS).
“The defence partnership has witnessed several firsts in the past few years. We had the first ever joint forces land exercises between the two sides in 2024…Two editions of joint naval exercises have been held. We have had regular exchanges on training and capacity building and staff talks across all the three services,” Misri was quoted as saying by The Print.
“What is really important on the defence front is the growing and close institutional linkage or the institutional underpinnings that is being put into place between the two countries. More exchanges, including exchanging slots in each other’s institutions of higher defence learning, more training opportunities, more exercises and higher levels of engagement.”
“We are attempting to give more substance to the partnership. The opening of defence procurement is one major area,” Misri was quoted as saying by Indian Express.
“But setting up an architecture through which or on the basis of which the two countries engage with each other at the leadership level and at the professional operational level as well is going to be an area of attention in the months and years ahead,” he added.
Prisoners high on agenda, GCC talks
Misri also said the transfer of Indian prisoners from Saudi Arabia will be “high on the agenda.”
Misri said these prisoners have been the “highest priority” in discussions between the two countries.
More than 25 per cent of all Indian prisoners abroad are in Saudi Arabia.
The two countries have several agreements on prisoner transfer.
Misri said that though no prisoners have been transferred to India thus far, the talks on this topic are on.
Modi and Salman will also likely hold talks on the free trade agreement between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
The GCC comprises Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, UAE and Qatar.
As per Moneycontrol, the two sides will also discuss cooperation in the energy sector.
Saudi Arabia comprises around 14.3 per cent of India’s crude oil imports in 2013.
Riyadh is New Delhi’s third-biggest supplier of crude oil.
The Economic Times reported that Saudi Arabia is examining increasing its oil sales to India amid a surplus of crude and a recession in China.
Riyadh could offer New Delhi a discount in order to increase its share of India’s crude oil imports.
Misri, asked about the possible energy cooperation, simply said “watch this space,” as per The Print.
“There will be an effort to infuse a “strategic” dimension to the India-Saudi Arabia energy cooperation,” Misri was quoted as saying by The Week.
IMEC, Hajj to be discussed
Modi and Salman will likely also discuss the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
The IMEC is a corridor involving India, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Israel, and the EU.
This corridor is aimed at increasing trade and connectivity.
Modi is likely to discuss this project, its operation and potential benefits with Salman.
The two men are also could discuss Saudi Arabia suspending new short-term visas to citizens of 14 countries – including India, Pakistan, and Egypt – ahead of the upcoming Hajj season.
The move comes in response to logistical issues and overcrowding experienced during the last Hajj season, when a significant number of pilgrims reportedly entered the country using non-Hajj-specific visas.
Authorities say the restriction aims to improve coordination and ensure a safer and more organised pilgrimage this year.
The two leaders will also likely discuss speeding up Saudi Arabia’s $100 billion investment plan for India – which had been announced in 2019 during Salman’s visit to India.
“Certain issues they had raised and we have worked very constructively on those issues,” Misri was quoted as saying by Indian Express.
Misri said the High Level Task Force on Investment (HLTFI) was set up in October 2023 to accelerate the proposed investment.
Misri said New Delhi examined the problems flagged by the Saudi side with a “very open mind” and said they would address any “concerns”.
As per the newspaper, the two men are likely to discuss the Israel-Hamas war and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Modi is also expected to visit a factory where Indian workers are employed.
He will interact with them during his visit.
‘Share close and friendly ties’
India and Saudi Arabia share close and friendly ties with a long history of socio-cultural and trade contacts, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
“As strategic partners, the two countries share strong bilateral relations across various areas, including political, defence, security, trade, investment, energy, technology, health, education, culture and people-to-people ties,” it said.
“India’s relations with the Kingdom have evolved into a stronger and enduring partnership in the past decade, expanding into many strategic domains, with growing investment commitments, broadening of defence cooperation and intensive high-level exchanges across sectors,” it added.
The MEA said Modi’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia reflects the importance India attaches to its relationship with the Gulf nation.
“It will provide an opportunity to further deepen and strengthen our multi-faceted partnership, as well as to exchange views on various regional and international issues of mutual interest,” it said.
Former foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla noted that under PM Modi’s leadership, the India-Saudi relationship has seen a major transformation, helped by the Prime Minister’s strong personal bond with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
With inputs from agencies
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