New Delhi, April 19 (HS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Saudi Arabia on April 22-23 at the invitation of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Muhammad Bin Salman.

The Ministry of External Affairs stated in a statement on Saturday that this will be Prime Minister Modi's third visit to Saudi Arabia, following his previous trips in 2016 and 2019. This visit is taking place after Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman’s official visit to New Delhi in September 2023, where he participated in the G-20 summit and co-chaired the first meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council.

The statement noted that India and Saudi Arabia have a long history of socio-cultural and commercial ties, characterized by close and friendly relations. As strategic partners, both countries share strong bilateral relations across various sectors, including politics, defense, security, trade, investment, energy, technology, health, education, culture, and people-to-people connections. Over the past decade, India’s relationship with Saudi Arabia has evolved into a strong and sustainable partnership, expanding into several strategic areas, including increased investment commitments, defense cooperation, and extensive high-level exchanges in various sectors.

The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the Prime Minister's visit reflects the importance given to India-Saudi Arabia bilateral relations. It will provide an opportunity to further deepen and strengthen our multifaceted partnership and exchange views on various regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar