PM Modi: In a pivotal moment for international diplomacy and regional stability, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Saudi Arabia from April 22 to 23, where he will co-chair the second meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council alongside Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This high-stakes visit, as announced by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, is poised to redefine the contours of cooperation between the two nations across multiple sectors, including trade, defence, energy, and regional security.
This will be PM Modi’s third visit to the Kingdom, underscoring the growing depth of this critical bilateral relationship. It follows the Crown Prince’s participation in the G20 Summit in New Delhi last year, reflecting the steady cadence of top-level engagements between India and Saudi Arabia.
PM Modi: Strengthening a Multifaceted Alliance
India and Saudi Arabia have shared deep-rooted historical ties, but in the last decade, those ties have transformed into a robust strategic partnership. With Saudi Arabia being India’s third-largest supplier of crude oil and LPG, and India acting as the Kingdom’s second-largest trade partner, the economic interdependence between the two nations has never been stronger. In 2023-24 alone, bilateral trade surged to $43.3 billion, with Indian exports witnessing a 7.8% increase to reach nearly $12 billion.
The India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership has particularly flourished in the energy domain. Last fiscal year, energy trade between the two nations touched $25.7 billion. With India pursuing cleaner energy and supply diversification, and Saudi Arabia pushing its Vision 2030 economic reforms, both countries find themselves aligned in mutual goals.
Boosting Investment and Trade
Prime Minister Modi’s visit is expected to unlock fresh opportunities for investment. During his 2019 visit to India, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced a jaw-dropping $100 billion investment pledge—though only $10 billion of that has materialised so far. This time around, the two governments are working to resolve procedural and taxation issues that previously hindered the flow of Saudi investments into India.
According to Misri, these bottlenecks have been addressed constructively, paving the way for new Saudi capital into Indian infrastructure, energy, and technology sectors.
India, for its part, plays a vital role in Saudi Arabia’s food security. With rice exports alone amounting to $1 billion annually, India remains a trusted agricultural trade partner. The broader trade agenda is also expected to benefit from connectivity initiatives under the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), aimed at enhancing energy and transportation links between the two regions.
Expanding Defence and Security Cooperation
Another cornerstone of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership is defence collaboration. India has emerged as a credible defence supplier, with deals including artillery ammunition worth over $300 million. A landmark moment came in 2024 with the first joint land forces exercise, and preparations are now underway for the third edition of the bilateral naval exercise, Al Mohed Al Hindi.
Efforts are currently focused on institutionalising defence cooperation—beyond transactions—to include joint training, technology transfer, and strategic dialogues. This could potentially lead to greater coordination in areas such as cybersecurity, maritime security, and counterterrorism.
Addressing Regional and Global Challenges
The geopolitical dimension of Modi’s visit cannot be understated. From the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict to the war in Ukraine and disruptions in the Red Sea caused by Houthi attacks, the world is in flux. Saudi Arabia, increasingly asserting itself as a diplomatic powerhouse in the Islamic world, is playing a key role in facilitating dialogues and ceasefires.
India, too, is a proponent of multipolar diplomacy and regional stability. The visit will allow both sides to align their views on pressing international concerns and explore potential cooperative actions, especially in humanitarian and reconstruction efforts.
People-to-People Bonds and Cultural Connect
Saudi Arabia is home to 2.7 million Indian expatriates—making it the second-largest Indian diaspora community abroad. Prime Minister Modi will interact with some of these workers during a factory visit in Jeddah, in a symbolic move that underlines the human element of this strategic bond.
This outreach reflects India’s commitment to its overseas citizens and highlights the vibrant cultural and social exchanges between the two nations.
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