Saudi Arabia gears up ahead of PM Modi's visit

ANI April 21, 2025 242 views

PM Modi heads to Saudi Arabia for his third visit, reinforcing strategic ties with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The trip will focus on boosting defense cooperation and addressing regional security concerns, including the Israel-Palestine conflict. Bilateral trade, currently at $43 billion, is expected to expand further. This visit underscores India's deepening engagement with the Gulf under Modi's leadership.

"Under PM Modi's leadership, the India-Saudi relationship has seen a major transformation." – Harsh Vardhan Shringla
Jeddah, April 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Saudi Arabia from April 22 to 23, 2025, at the invitation of Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman. This will be PM Modi's third visit to the country, following earlier visits in 2016 and 2019.

Key Points

1

Modi to engage with Indian workers in Saudi Arabia

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Talks to cover Israel-Palestine conflict and Houthi threats

3

Bilateral trade worth $43 billion set to expand

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Visit follows MBS's 2023 G20 trip to India

As part of the visit, PM Modi is expected to visit a factory where Indian workers are employed. He will interact with them during his time there.

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.

Misri also said that India and Saudi Arabia are likely to deepen their defence cooperation and expand their economic ties. Currently, bilateral trade between the two countries is valued at around USD 43 billion.

PM Modi's visit is being seen as a significant step in strengthening India's ties not just with Saudi Arabia, but with the entire Gulf and Islamic world.

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.

The visit comes after the Crown Prince visited New Delhi in September 2023. He was in India for the G20 Summit and also co-chaired the first meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
This is such an important visit! The India-Saudi relationship has grown so much in recent years. Hope they can find solutions to some of the regional security issues too. 🇮🇳🤝🇸🇦
A
Aisha M.
As an Indian working in Saudi, I'm so excited PM Modi is visiting our factory! It means a lot when leaders show they care about the diaspora community. The workers here have been preparing for days.
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Sameer P.
While I appreciate the diplomatic efforts, I hope the discussions also address the working conditions of Indian laborers in Saudi. The economic partnership should benefit workers at all levels.
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Neha T.
$43 billion in trade is impressive! With more defense cooperation, this could become one of India's most strategic partnerships. The personal chemistry between leaders really helps in diplomacy.
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Mohammed A.
The Gulf region is so important for India's energy security and remittances. Glad to see our government giving it the attention it deserves. Hope they discuss more cultural exchanges too!
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Priya R.
Interesting timing after the G20 summit. I wonder if they'll announce any new joint initiatives? The strategic partnership council seems to be delivering results.

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Tags:
PM Modi Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman India-Saudi relations Gulf diplomacy Middle East security
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