Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is on a three-day state visit to India, where he will engage in bilateral discussions and co-chair the inaugural Strategic Partnership Council leaders' meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, who attended the G20 Summit in Delhi over the weekend, was scheduled to stay in India until Monday (September 11) for a state visit, as stated by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a statement issued earlier.
Upon his arrival, the Saudi Crown Prince was welcomed by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at the airport.
This visit marks the Crown Prince's second state visit to India, following his initial visit in February 2019. Accompanying him is a high-level delegation comprising ministers and senior officials.
This visit follows Prime Minister Modi's trip to Saudi Arabia in October 2019, during which the two nations established the Strategic Partnership Council, a bilateral mechanism.
The Crown Prince is expected to pay a visit to President Droupadi Murmu today. He will also hold a bilateral meeting with Modi, during which they will jointly chair the First Leaders' Meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council, according to the MEA.
The two leaders will review the progress achieved under the two Ministerial Committees of the Strategic Partnership Council, which include the Committee on Political, Security, Social and Cultural Cooperation, and the Committee on Economy and Investments Cooperation.
Their discussions will encompass various aspects of bilateral relations, such as political, security, defense, trade, economics, culture, and people-to-people ties. Additionally, they will address regional and international matters of shared interest.
India and Saudi Arabia have historically maintained close and amicable relations with significant people-to-people interactions. Bilateral trade reached a record high of USD 52.75 billion in 2022-23.
Saudi Arabia ranks as India's second-largest trading partner, while India is the fourth-largest trading partner of Saudi Arabia.
Both nations also enjoy a robust partnership in the field of energy.
Saudi Arabia is home to a vibrant Indian community of approximately 2.4 million individuals. Their contributions to the host country's development and their role in strengthening the multifaceted connections between the two nations are highly valued.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also facilitates the annual Hajj pilgrimage for over 1,75,000 Indians.