PM Modi plans Saudi Arabia trip in April eyeing bigger Saudi FDI & widening strategic ties
Modi will hold talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also the PM of Saudi Arabia. Both sides will look to take forward agreements finalised during the crown prince’s trip to India in 2023.
The protracted Israel-Hamas crisis and tensions in the Red Sea besides the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) are likely to figure in the discussion agenda, it has been learnt. Saudi Arabia plays a critical role in the proposed IMEEC connecting India with Europe through UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Ahead of the PM's trip to Riyadh, Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, also the Defence Minister of UAE, is expected to visit New Delhi next week in yet another display of special ties.
Sheikh Hamdan will meet defence minister Rajnath Singh as India moves to step up engagements with UAE’s next generation leadership. Last year, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi was hosted by the Modi government.
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During the 2023 visit, Modi and the Saudi crown prince decided to expand bilateral trade and defence ties. Both leaders also co-chaired the first summit meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council (SPC). During this meeting, eight MoUs were signed for cooperation in the fields of energy, IT, anti-corruption, archives, investments, EXIM banks, SME banks and desalination.
The SPC was formed in October 2019 during Modi’s last visit to Riyadh. It has two committees: Committee on Political-Security-Social & Cultural Cooperation and Committee on Economy and Investment. There are eight Joint Working Groups under the two committees which conduct regular official level meetings. The economic and investment pillar consists of 4 JWGs covering the following heads—industry