‘India values historic relations with Saudi Arabia’: PM Modi as he embarks on two-day Jeddah visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia today, April 22, at the invitation of the Kingdom's Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman.

“Leaving for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where I will be attending various meetings and programmes. India values our historic relations with Saudi Arabia. Bilateral ties have gained significant momentum in the last decade,” Modi said in post on X.

Modi is the first Indian prime minister to visit Jeddah in over four decades. All his previous visits have been to Riyadh, theSaudi capital. Indira Gandhi was the last Indian Prime Minister to visit Jeddah way back in 1982.

“I look forward to participating in the 2nd Meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council. I will also be interacting with the Indian community there,” he said.

Modi will meet Prince Salman during the visit “to further deepen and strengthen” ties between the two nations, the Ministry of External Affairs said last week.

The high-profile visit underscores the remarkable transformation of India-Saudi relations from modest beginnings to a comprehensive strategic partnership spanning economic, defence, and cultural dimensions.

“India deeply values its long and historic ties with Saudi Arabia that have acquired strategic depth and momentum in recent years. Together, we have developed a mutually beneficial and substantive partnership including in the domains of defence, trade, investment, energy and people to people ties. We have shared interest and commitment to promote regional peace, prosperity, security and stability,” Modi said in his departure statement.

This is Modi's third visit to Saudi Arabia over the past decade. “I look forward to participating in the 2nd Meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council and build upon the highly successful State visit of my brother His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman to India in 2023,” he said in the statement.

High Profile Visit

Modi's visit to Saudi Arabia comes amid intensified diplomatic engagement between the two nations. Last year, India made 11 ministerial-level visits to Saudi Arabia.

Modi's visit to Saudi Arabia is crucial for the geopolitical order. The world in general, and West Asia in particular, is suffering from conflicts made worse by economic tensions.

The visit comes as tariffs imposed by Donald Trump's US administration have forced countries to further strengthen trade relations with allies for alternate markets.

India and Saudi Arabia are the two fastest-growing economies in the world. The two countries have the potential to influence the global order as members of the Global South and the G20. PM Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Salman are in good terms with US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Israel-Palestine

Modi's India visit will provide an important opportunity to discuss key regional and global issues. These include the situation in West Asia, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and threats to maritime security due to Houthi attacks, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said during a special press briefing last week.

India and Saudi Arabia are likely to deepen their defence cooperation and expand their economic ties. Currently, bilateral trade between the two countries is valued at around USD 43 billion, Misri said.

PM Modi's visit is being seen as a significant step in strengthening India's ties not just with Saudi Arabia, but with the entire Gulf and Islamic world, he said.

2.7 million Indians

Saudi Arabia is India’s fifth-largest trading partner and home to 2.7 million Indians who live and work there.

Modi is also visiting Saudi Arabia at a time when his government in India is facing protests over changes to a decades-old Waqf Laws governing Muslim-owned properties donated for religious and charitable purposes.