Saudi Arabia, India Expand Strategic Partnership Council, Pledge Closer Int'l Coordination

Asharq Al-Awsat

23-04-2025

Saudi Arabia and India welcomed on Wednesday the expansion of the Saudi-Indian Strategic Partnership Council to include four ministerial committees, featuring a ministerial committee for defense cooperation and another for tourism and culture.
Recognizing the importance of joint action on global issues, they also agreed to deepen cooperation and coordination within international organizations and forums such as the G20, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank. This commitment aims to bolster efforts in addressing global economic challenges, said Saudi Arabia and India in a joint statement at the conclusion of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to the Kingdom.
Modi arrived in Jeddah on Tuesday where he held talks with Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
This was Modi's third visit to Saudi Arabia. It followed the historic state visit by the Crown Prince to India in September 2023 to participate in the G20 Summit and co-chair the first meeting of the Saudi-Indian Strategic Partnership Council.
Crown Prince Mohammed and Modi held official talks that tackled the strong historic bonds between their countries and views on current regional and international issues of mutual interest.
They noted that the solid foundation of the bilateral relationship between their countries 'has further strengthened through the strategic partnership covering diverse areas, including defense, security, energy, trade, investment, technology, agriculture, culture, health, education, and people-to-people ties.'
Modi congratulated the Crown Prince on Saudi Arabia's successful bids to hold the World Expo 2030 and FIFA World Cup 2034.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcomes Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Kingdom. (SPA)
The two leaders held constructive discussions on ways to strengthen the strategic partnership between India and Saudi Arabia. They co-chaired the second meeting of the Saudi-Indian Strategic Partnership Council. They reviewed the progress of the strategic partnership council since their last meeting in September 2023.
The leaders expressed their satisfaction with the outcomes of the work of the two Ministerial Committees, namely: the Committee on Political, Security, Social and Cultural Cooperation and their subcommittees, and the Committee on Economy and Investment and their joint working groups, in diverse fields.
They welcomed the expansion of the strategic partnership council to four ministerial committees reflecting the deepening of the strategic partnership, by addition of the Ministerial Committees on Defense Cooperation, and Tourism and Cultural Cooperation.
The Indian delegation expressed its appreciation for Saudi Arabia for the continuing welfare of around 2.7 million Indian nationals residing in the Kingdom, reflecting the strong people-to-people bonds and immense goodwill that exists between their nations. It also congratulated Saudi Arabia for successfully holding the Hajj in 2024.
Both sides welcomed the growth of the economic relationship, trade, and investment ties between India and Saudi Arabia in recent years. The Indian side congratulated Saudi Arabia on the progress achieved in goals under Vision 2030, while Saudi officials expressed appreciation for India's sustained economic growth and the goal of Viksit Bharat of becoming a developed country by 2047. Both sides agreed to work together in areas of mutual interests to fulfill respective national goals and achieve shared prosperity.
India and Saudi Arabia stressed their commitment to strengthening their direct and indirect investment partnership. They commended the outcomes of the Saudi-India Investment Forum, held in New Delhi in September 2023, and the active cooperation it achieved between the public and private sectors from both countries.
They commended the expansion of investment activities by Indian companies in the Kingdom, highlighting the role of the private sector in enhancing mutual investments.
In the field of energy, India agreed to work with the Kingdom to boost the stability of global oil markets and to balance global energy market dynamics. Both sides emphasized the need to ensure security of supply for all energy sources in global markets.
They agreed on the importance of bolstering cooperation in several areas in the energy sector, including the supply of crude oil and its derivatives including LPG, collaboration in India's Strategic Reserve Program, joint projects across the refining and petrochemical sector, including manufacturing and specialized industries, innovative uses of hydrocarbons, electricity, and renewable energy.
This includes completing the detailed joint study for electrical interconnection between the two countries, exchanging expertise in the fields of grid automation, grid connectivity, electrical grid security and resilience, and renewable energy projects and energy storage technologies.
Officials are seen at the Saudi-Indian Strategic Partnership Council meeting. (SPA)
The two sides stressed the importance of cooperation in the field of green/clean hydrogen, including stimulating demand, developing hydrogen transport and storage technologies, and exchanging expertise and experiences to implement best practices. They acknowledged the need to work on developing supply chains and projects linked to the energy sector, enabling cooperation between companies, deepening cooperation in the field of energy efficiency and rationalizing energy consumption in the buildings, industry, and transportation sectors, and raising awareness of its importance.
Both sides expressed satisfaction at the steady growth in bilateral trade in recent years, with India being the second largest trading partner for Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Arabia being India's fifth largest trading partner in 2023-2024. Both sides agreed to further deepen cooperation to diversify their bilateral trade.
Moreover, they stressed the strengthening of defense ties as a key pillar of the strategic partnership, and welcomed the creation of a Ministerial Committee on Defense Cooperation under the Strategic Partnership Council.
They noted with satisfaction the growth of their joint defense cooperation, including numerous 'firsts', like the first ever Land Forces exercise SADA TANSEEQ, two rounds of the Naval Exercises AL MOHED AL HINDI, many high-level visits, and training exchanges, towards ensuring the security and stability of the region.
They welcomed the outcomes of the 6th meeting of the Joint Committee on Defense Cooperation held in Riyadh in September 2024, noting the initiation of staff-level talks between all three services. Both sides agreed to boost defense industry collaboration.
Noting the continuing cooperation achieved in security fields, both sides highlighted the importance of this cooperation for better security and stability. They also emphasized the importance of furthering cooperation between both sides in the areas of cybersecurity, maritime border security, combating transnational crime, narcotics and drug trafficking.
Both sides strongly condemned the gruesome terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, which claimed the lives of innocent civilians. They condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all forms and emphasized that this remains one of the gravest threats to humanity.
They agreed that there can be no justification for any act of terror for any reason. They rejected any attempt to link terrorism to any particular race, religion or culture. They also welcomed the excellent cooperation between the two sides in counter-terrorism and terror financing.
The two sides stressed their full support for the international and regional efforts aimed at reaching a comprehensive political solution to the crisis in Yemen. India praised the Kingdom's many initiatives aimed at encouraging dialogue between the Yemeni parties, and its role in providing and facilitating access of humanitarian aid to all regions of Yemen.
The two sides agreed on the importance of cooperation to promote ways to ensure the security and safety of waterways and freedom of navigation in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Signed during the visit were an MoU between the Indian Department of Space and the Saudi Space Agency in the field of space activities for peaceful purposes, an MoU between the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Saudi Ministry of Health on cooperation in the field of health, bilateral agreement between the Indian Department of Posts and the Saudi Post for inward foreign surface parcel, and an MoU between the Indian National Anti-Doping Agency and Saudi Arabia Anti-Doping Committee for cooperation in the field of anti-doping and prevention.
Both sides agreed to hold the next Strategic Partnership Council meeting at a mutually convenient time. Recognizing their ongoing economic and social progress, they also committed to continued communication, coordination, and cooperation across various sectors.
At the end of the visit, Modi conveyed his best wishes for continued progress and prosperity of the friendly people of Saudi Arabia. Crown Prince Mohammed extended his sincere wishes to Modi and the friendly people of India for further progress and prosperity.