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Arab News
01-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi, Japanese FMs discuss crude oil supply, cooperation in Riyadh
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met his Japanese counterpart, Takeshi Iwaya, in Riyadh on Thursday to discuss bilateral ties. The ministers reviewed strategic and economic relations between Riyadh and Tokyo, and highlighted the need for continued cooperation, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Iwaya 'expressed his gratitude for the stable supply of crude oil from Saudi Arabia over the years' and expects the Kingdom to continue its leading role in stabilizing the global crude oil market. The ministry said that Prince Faisal 'reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's commitment to the stable supply of crude oil to Japan' and called for improved cooperation in the crude oil sector, as well as in clean energy. The ministers discussed enhancing bilateral cooperation in space and defense. They agreed to arrange for the implementation of the Strategic Partnership Council, for which the two countries signed a memorandum in February. Saudi Arabia and Japan are marking the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. Tokyo is passing the baton to the Kingdom from Expo 2025 in Osaka, which concludes in October, to the Riyadh Expo 2030, the ministry added. Prince Faisal and Takeshi discussed regional issues, including the necessity of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, US-Iran nuclear negotiations, the war in Ukraine and efforts to achieve a two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ghazi Faisal Binzagr, Saudi ambassador to Japan, and Saud Al-Sati, deputy minister for political affairs, attended the meeting. On Thursday, Takeshi also held talks with Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Al-Budaiwi to discuss the Gulf's partnership with Japan in energy security. The two officials agreed to cooperate in various areas, including politics, security, trade and investment. They also exchanged views on Gaza, Syria, Iran, the Red Sea and East Asia.
Asharq Al-Awsat
29-04-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Arabia: Regional Security Demands Swift Implementation of Fair Solution to Palestinian Cause
The Saudi government stressed on Tuesday that the security of the Middle East demands the swift implementation of a just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian cause, in line with international resolutions and the 2002 Arab peace initiative. The solution must ensure the establishment of an independent Palestinian state according to the 1967 border and east Jerusalem as its capital. Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chaired the Cabinet meeting in Jeddah. He briefed the Cabinet on his recent meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah II and meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Cabinet commended the outcomes of the second meeting of the Saudi-Indian Strategic Partnership Council, highlighting the expanding economic, trade, and investment relations between the two nations, as well as efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation in other sectors. The Cabinet reviewed the Kingdom's extensive participation in regional and international forums, underlining its commitment to supporting collaborative efforts aimed at addressing current challenges and promoting global stability and prosperity The Cabinet underlined the Kingdom's ongoing commitment to expediting Syria's economic recovery. It reiterated its call for regional and international financial institutions to resume and expand their operations in Syria, supporting the aspirations of its people for a brighter future and decent living standards. Domestically, the Cabinet praised the diligent efforts of government agencies that have contributed to the significant achievements of Saudi Vision 2030 as it approaches its ninth year. It noted the remarkable progress outlined in the Vision 2030 Annual Report 2024, which revealed that 93% of the targets across national programs and strategies have been met or exceeded. The Cabinet discussed the third phase of Saudi Vision 2030, slated for 2026 that will concentrate on sustaining the impact of the transformations, capitalizing on emerging growth opportunities, diligently monitoring and strengthening existing initiatives, and further aligning plans and programs with the overarching Vision 2030 to foster greater economic diversification and growth. Moreover, the Cabinet commended the outcomes of the recent Saudi Statistics Forum held in Riyadh, which marked the 65th anniversary of the establishment of statistical work in the Kingdom. It acknowledged the sector's significant advancements in international indicators and its vital role in sustainable development, improving service quality, and driving economic and social growth. The Cabinet highlighted the generous SAR1 billion donation by Crown Prince Mohammed to the National Development Housing Foundation, reflecting his unwavering dedication to improving the lives of citizens and his sustained focus on housing initiatives that provide suitable homes for deserving families throughout the Kingdom.
News18
27-04-2025
- Politics
- News18
PM Modi's Proactive Diplomacy Will Come In Handy When India Responds To Pahalgam Terror
While the Indian Opposition has often criticised PM Modi's foreign visits, it has been repeatedly proven that his energetic and strategic global outreach has helped the nation In an interesting coincidence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, the heart of Islam, when Islamic terrorists on Tuesday slaughtered Hindu tourists in Kashmir's Pahalgam. Men were asked to read the kalma, or checked for circumcision by pulling down their trousers, before they were coldly shot in the head. Modi cut short his Saudi visit, but not before leading the discussions with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman on the Pahalgam attack. The Strategic Partnership Council meeting between the two countries commenced with a reference to the massacre. The rapidly liberalising Saudi, one of strongest proponents currently in the Middle East against radicalism, unequivocally condemned the incident. 'The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's condemnation in the strongest terms of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir that resulted in many deaths and injuries," its statement read. 'The Kingdom affirms its firm stance in rejecting all forms of violence, extremism, and targeting of civilians. The Kingdom also extends its sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims, and the government and people of the Republic of India." PM @narendramodi and Crown Prince HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman held extensive talks & co-chaired the 2nd India–Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council (SPC) in Jeddah at the Royal Palace. HRH Crown Prince strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack & expressed his deepest… — Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) April 22, 2025 Saudi's equally influential and progressive Middle-Eastern neighbour and one of India's closest allies, the United Arab Emirates, condemned the attack in the strongest terms. The UAE called for 'permanent rejection of all forms of violence and terrorism aimed at undermining security and stability in contravention of international law". Every world power from the US to the UK to Russia has strongly stood with India. Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Benjamin Netanyahu, Giorgia Meloni and even Xi Jinping…condemnation came from all sides (although it is believed that China helped Pakistan in diluting the UNSC statement on the Pahalgam attack). But it is not just about global condemnation as lip service. India has quietly been garnering support, working backroom channels to create ground and consensus for its imminent response. PM Modi's stellar run of proactive diplomacy — visiting nations which other PMs had never stepped foot in, sending Covid vaccines to more than 75 countries, standing firmly with friends like Russia and Israel even under severe pressure, being the voice of the global south, adding a warm personal touch with the most powerful global leaders — will prove to be extremely useful when India chooses to respond to Pakistan's bloodsport in Pahalgam. And India will certainly respond. It is not a question of if but when. It cannot ignore the oceanic roar of outrage from its own citizens, nor will it want to let go of an opportunity to cripple its enemies and achieve its strategic and civilisational targets. India is believed to be already working with its global partners on intelligence, deterrence, and a robust response. A slew of steps, including turning off the tap of Indus River water, has already been taken. But a military response this time may go beyond just a surgical strike. Russia has already issued a stern travel advisory to its citizens against travelling to Pakistan. US President Donald Trump, while strongly condemning the Pahalgam attack and committing to work with India against terrorism, also said that India and Pakistan will 'figure it out". Since the balance of military power tilts in India's favour, it implies that the US may not immediately step in to cool things down if India plans a hard retaliation. Tulsi Gabbard, US Director of National Intelligence, tweeted, 'We stand in solidarity with India in the wake of the horrific Islamist terrorist attack, targeting and killing 26 Hindus in Pahalgam. My prayers and deepest sympathies are with those who lost a loved one, PM @narendramodi, and with all the people of India. We are with you and support you as you hunt down those responsible for this heinous attack." The signs are clear. The civilised world stands with India. While the Indian Opposition has often criticised PM Modi's foreign visits, it has been repeatedly proven that his energetic and strategic global outreach has helped the nation again and again, whether it is in procuring cheap Russian oil during the Ukraine war, or mustering international support at times like this. First Published: April 27, 2025, 15:44 IST News opinion Opinion | PM Modi's Proactive Diplomacy Will Come In Handy When India Responds To Pahalgam Terror
Indian Express
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
India, Saudi Arabia condemn terrorism, hail ties
In a strongly-worded message to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday condemned 'cross-border terrorism', and called on all States to reject the use of terrorism against other countries, dismantle terrorism infrastructure and bring perpetrators of terrorism to justice swiftly. This was part of the joint statement issued after the Prime Minister's visit to Saudi Arabia, that was cut short due to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on Tuesday. Modi returned on Wednesday morning, instead of on Wednesday night. The joint statement specifically condemned the attack, as it said, 'Both sides strongly condemned the gruesome terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April 2025, which claimed the lives of innocent civilians. In this context, the two sides condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations, and emphasized that this remains one of the gravest threats to humanity.' 'They agreed that there cannot be any justification for any act of terror for any reason whatsoever. They rejected any attempt to link terrorism to any particular race, religion or culture,' it said. 'They welcomed the excellent cooperation between the two sides in counter-terrorism and the terror financing. They condemned cross-border terrorism, and called on all States to reject the use of terrorism against other countries, dismantle terrorism infrastructure where it exists, and bring perpetrators of terrorism to justice swiftly. Both sides stressed the need to prevent access to weapons including missiles and drones to commit terrorist acts against other countries,' it said. This followed the terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam, where 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed. On Tuesday, Modi delayed his scheduled meeting with the Saudi crown prince by at least two hours to assess the situation in Kashmir. The PM, who held bilateral talks with the Saudi crown prince, skipped an official dinner before returning home on Tuesday night. The Muslim World League, based in Makkah, also condemned the terrorist attack. During the talks, Modi and MBS appreciated the deepening of the defence ties as a key pillar of the strategic partnership and welcomed the creation of a Ministerial Committee on Defence Cooperation under the Strategic Partnership Council. 'They noted with satisfaction the growth of their joint defence 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,' the statement said.
The Print
23-04-2025
- Politics
- The Print
PM Modi's plane on return from Jeddah skipped flying over Pakistan after Pahalgam attack
In Saudi airspace, the Prime Minister's aircraft received an escort from the Royal Saudi Air Force in a special gesture. Modi had travelled to Jeddah for what was originally scheduled to be a two-day visit from 22 April to 23 April. On his way to Jeddah earlier Tuesday morning, the Prime Minister's flight flew over Pakistan, as per publicly available data published by Flightradar24, an online real-time flight tracking service. Modi's plane—Air India One—left New Delhi around 9 am Tuesday and landed in Saudi Arabia approximately five and a half hours later. New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aircraft did not fly over Pakistan on his return from Jeddah late Tuesday evening, following his early return to New Delhi due to the terrorist attacks in Kashmir's Pahalgam. His third visit to the Gulf kingdom was, however, cut short after a group of at least four attackers from the militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, armed with AK-47 rifles, opened fire on tourists in Pahalgam, as reported by ThePrint. At least 26 people were killed, and several others injured. One foreign national, Sudip Neupane from Nepal, was among the deceased. The attack, which took place while Modi was in Jeddah, prompted the Prime Minister to reschedule his return to New Delhi for late Tuesday evening. During the shortened visit, he held a bilateral meeting with the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, and co-chaired the second meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council. The Indian Prime Minister skipped an official dinner hosted by the Saudi government and departed Jeddah shortly after 11 PM local time, returning to New Delhi early Wednesday morning. On the return leg, Air India One did not traverse Pakistani airspace, according to Flightradar24. The visit saw the two leaders jointly condemn the Pahalgam attack, declaring in a Joint Statement published Wednesday morning that 'there cannot be any justification for any act of terror for any reason whatsoever'. 'They condemned cross-border terrorism, and called on all States to reject the use of terrorism against other countries, dismantle terrorism infrastructure where it exists, and bring perpetrators of terrorism to justice swiftly. Both sides stressed the need to prevent access to weapons including missiles and drones to commit terrorist acts against other countries,' the Joint Statement noted. The two leaders also agreed to expand the Strategic Partnership Council to include two new committees on defence cooperation and tourism and culture. The Strategic Partnership Council originally consisted of two committees focusing on economy and strategic cooperation. Saudi Arabia further agreed to establish two refineries in India, while a breakthrough on taxation issues was achieved by the High-Level Task Force on Investment, to promote foreign investment. Riyadh had previously promised investments of up to US$ 100 billion in India in 2019. These investments have yet to materialise. (Edited by Radifah Kabir) Also Read: Riyadh decries Pahalgam attack in joint statement with New Delhi, both condemn 'cross-border terrorism'
