Jeddah, April 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has praised the ‘unlimited potential’ of India’s growing relations with Saudi Arabia. He has arrived in Jeddah today on a two-day visit. This is his third visit to Saudi Arabia since 2016.
Giving special respect on reaching Saudi Arabian airspace, Saudi Air Force fighter jets F-16 provided escort to honour the Prime Minister’s plane. On reaching Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, PM Modi was given a 21-gun salute and was given a rousing welcome with the song ‘Ae Watan Mere Watan’.
In an exclusive interview with ‘Arab News’ newspaper, he described Saudi Arabia as ‘a trusted friend and strategic ally’. He emphasized that bilateral relations have expanded significantly since the formation of the Strategic Partnership Council in 2019. In this interview, Prime Minister Modi spoke his heart out.
Our relationship is stable
India’s Prime Minister Modi said, “Our partnership has unlimited potential. Our relationship stands firmly as a pillar of stability in a world full of uncertainty.” He praised the leadership of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. Prime Minister Modi described him as a “strong supporter of bilateral relations and a visionary person.” Prime Minister Modi said that he has inspired global admiration through reforms under Vision 2030.
Trade increased between the two countries despite global challenges
He said, “Whenever I have met him, His Majesty has left a deep impression on me. His insight, his farsightedness and his passion to fulfill the aspirations of his people are truly remarkable.” Prime Minister Modi said that despite global challenges, trade between the two countries has increased. Energy, agriculture and fertilizers are the major sectors in this. He welcomed the deep integration between Saudi and Indian businesses, calling it an important achievement, especially for emerging sectors like green hydrogen and technology. “Indian companies have maintained their strong presence in Saudi Arabia across various sectors,” he said.
Prime Minister Modi congratulated the Kingdom for winning the bid to host the World Expo 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2034 and called this dual success a matter of “great pride”. He also pointed to growing defence cooperation and historic joint military exercises as signs of growing strategic trust. On the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor launched during the G20 Summit in September 2023, Prime Minister Modi said the project would be “a major catalyst of commerce, connectivity and development across the region”.
Our relationship is not new, it is rooted in civilisational exchange
Prime Minister Modi, in response to a question from Arab News, said that our relationship is not new. It is rooted in age-old civilisational exchange. From ideas to trade, there has been a continuous flow between our two great countries. Our relations have been improving continuously since 2014. I remember receiving the King Abdul Aziz Award from His Majesty King Salman in 2016. The formation of the Strategic Partnership Council in 2019 was a major achievement. Since then, cooperation between us has spread across many areas. This is just the beginning. Our partnership has immense potential. The foundation of our relationship is built on mutual trust and goodwill. This is a promising time for India-Saudi Arabia relations. Jeddah has a special relationship with India. For centuries, this famous city has been one of the major arteries for our trade and people-to-people exchanges. As the gateway to Mecca, for centuries our pilgrims have passed through the streets of Jeddah on their holy journey for Hajj and Umrah.
He said, “I also see many complementary similarities between Saudi Vision 2030 and India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 (Developed India 2047 initiative).”
Called upon Saudi companies
He called upon Saudi companies to take advantage of the remarkable opportunities in India as part of the Developed India journey. Arab News’s question – Given Saudi Arabia’s role as a major supplier of crude oil and petroleum products to India, how do you envision the future of energy cooperation between the two countries, especially in the context of the global energy transition? To this, Prime Minister Modi said that energy has been an important pillar of our economic partnership. Saudi Arabia has been a strong and reliable energy partner for India. It is one of our top suppliers of crude oil and other petroleum products. As India tries to become a developed country, our energy demand will continue to grow. And Saudi Arabia will remain a close partner in our energy security. As strategic partners, we agree that our energy cooperation is not limited to only buyer-seller relationships. We are also exploring joint projects in refineries and petrochemicals.
Confident of achieving 500 GW renewable energy target by 2030
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the world is also gradually moving towards cleaner and more sustainable energy resources. India is moving ahead with an ambitious target for the Green Campaign. We are confident of achieving the 500 GW renewable energy target by 2030. There is immense potential for cooperation with Saudi Arabia in this journey too. This includes supply chain, power, energy.
These include the areas of digital economy, energy efficiency and green hydrogen. As partners in the International Solar Alliance, both countries can work towards innovative solutions for future energy needs.
Continuous progress in security cooperation
He said that we have also seen steady progress in security cooperation. This includes areas such as counter-terrorism, counter-extremism, preventing the financing of terrorism and combating drug trafficking. We are also exploring new areas of cooperation in cyber security, recognizing its growing importance in today’s interconnected world. In the last few years we achieved an important milestone when the first joint exercise between the two armies took place. He is happy that India is able to meet some of the needs of the armed forces in Saudi Arabia today. I am eagerly looking forward to reconnecting with the Indian diaspora during this visit.
