EAM Jaishankar holds bilateral talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, in New Delhi on Wednesday for high-level bilateral discussions.

The meeting, which took place at the iconic Hyderabad House, marks a significant step in strengthening the growing strategic partnership between India and Saudi Arabia. Following the meeting, the two leaders engaged in deliberations for the second session of the Political, Security, Social, and Cultural Committee of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in India on Tuesday evening for a two-day official visit, which aims to further deepen ties between the two nations. The Strategic Partnership Council was established in 2019, following the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in October 2019.

The two ministers reviewed the progress made by the four Joint Working Groups focused on Agriculture and Food Security, Energy, Technology and Information Technology, and Industry and Infrastructure. Both leaders underscored the deepening bilateral economic ties and discussed measures to further boost trade and investment between the two nations.

India and Saudi Arabia share centuries-old economic and socio-cultural ties. Diplomatic relations were officially established in 1947, and the two countries have enjoyed significant milestones in their relationship. The landmark visit of King Abdullah to India in January 2006, followed by the ‘Delhi Declaration,’ elevated bilateral relations to new heights, with the ‘Riyadh Declaration’ in 2010 further solidifying their strategic partnership.

Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Riyadh in April 2016 marked another key moment in India-Saudi relations, with King Salman awarding him the Kingdom’s highest civilian honor, the King Abdulaziz Sash, highlighting the importance of this growing partnership. Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s visit to India in February 2019 took the relationship to new levels, including a commitment by Saudi Arabia to invest approximately USD 100 billion in India.

(Inputs from ANI)