PM Modi Holds Talks with Saudi Crown Prince Focussing on Shoring Up Bilateral Trade, Defence Ties

GG News Bureau

New Delhi, 11th Sept. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud on Monday, focusing on bilateral trade and defence ties.

Following the conclusion of the G20 Summit, Bin Salman is on a state visit to India.

The Crown Prince was given a ceremonial greeting at the Rashtrapati Bhavan’s forecourt ahead of the talks.

“I am very glad to be here in India. I want to congratulate India for the G20 Summit,” Bin Salman told reporters after the ceremonial welcome.

The Saudi leader stated that the summit’s announcements will benefit the entire world.

“We will work together to create a great future for both the countries,” he said.

Saudi Arabia is one of India’s most important Middle-East strategic partners.  Overall, bilateral relations between the two countries have improved significantly in recent years.

The two sides have also been working to strengthen their defence and security cooperation.

The then Chief of Army Staff Gen MM Naravane visited Saudi Arabia in December 2020 in the first-ever visit by a head of the 1.3 million-strong Army to the important Gulf nation.  Since then, there have been a series of visits of high-ranking military officials between the two sides. PTI