Saudi crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks in Delhi, stating that terrorism is a common concern
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Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman’s maiden visit to India came at a time when ties with neighbouring country Pakistan are strained in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack, which killed 42 CRPF personnel. After a visit to Pakistan, where he signed five MoUs worth $20 billion, the crown prince arrived in India on Tuesday evening. Reuters
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke protocol to receive him at Delhi’s Palam Airport. The agenda for the crown prince’s visit is centered on oil and other investment decisions. Saudi Arabia aims to definitively push aside arch-rival Iran as a source of crude oil by encouraging India to consume more of its resources. PTI
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The crown prince was accorded a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi, where he was received by President Ram Nath Kovind and Modi. In his first press statement, he said, “Relations between India and Arabian Peninsula is in our DNA.” The leaders then held bilateral talks, which was followed by a lunch at Delhi’s Hyderabad House. Reuters
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The crown prince also met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. The leaders discussed “adding momentum to strategic dimension of in various fields, from trade and investment to defence and security and regional cooperation”. PTI
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The crown prince and the prime minister engaged in bilateral talks. The two sides signed five MoUs, including on infrastructure, housing, cooperation on broadcasting and enhancing bilateral investment relations. They later issued a joint statement. Reuters
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In the joint statement, Modi said, “Saudi Arabia and India are on the same page when it comes to maintaining regional peace and stability. We have vowed to increase pressure on any country that sponsors terror activities.” The crown prince called terrorism a common concern and said: “We want to tell India that we will cooperate with them on intelligence sharing… Not just with India but with our neighbours, as well. We thank India for the positive role in this.” Reuters

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