NEW DELHI: India and Saudi Arabia are set to reinvigorate their diplomatic relations on the sidelines of the G20 summit. This forthcoming interaction will involve crucial meetings that align with their mutual priorities. The engagements will be spearheaded by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed Bin Salman. He is scheduled to participate in the G20 summit over the weekend and extend his stay for a state visit on Monday, September 11. During this visit, he is expected to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu. Additionally, there are reports suggesting that, in the context of the G20 summit, discussions are underway between Saudi Arabia and India, as well as the United States and the United Arab Emirates, regarding an infrastructure connectivity project.
As part of the state visit, the Saudi Crown Prince will engage in a bilateral delegation-level meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and co-chair the inaugural Leaders' Meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council. The Ministry of External Affairs has stated that they will assess the progress achieved within the two Ministerial Committees of the Strategic Partnership Council, namely the Committee on Political, Security, Social, and Cultural Cooperation, and the Committee on Economy and Investments Cooperation. It is worth noting that Saudi Arabia and India have been enhancing their collaboration, evident in the expansion of military-to-military and multilateral cooperation between the two governments. In the previous month, both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were granted permanent membership in the BRICS grouping, which also included their former rival, Iran.
Michael Kugelman, the Director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C., has suggested that discussions are ongoing for an "infrastructure accord" involving the United States, India, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE on the sidelines of the G20 summit. He noted that if finalized, this accord could be a transformative development, strengthening connectivity between India and the Middle East while countering the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
This visit coincides with a three-day event aimed at showcasing the most significant projects and initiatives under Saudi Arabia's "Vision 2030." The Saudi Ministry of Media is organizing this event in collaboration with NEOM, the Saudi Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Sports, and the Saudi Tourism Authority. The event, named "Media Oasis," is expected to be attended by several Saudi ministers and will highlight various aspects, including the tourism attractions of the Red Sea International, sporting initiatives in Saudi Arabia, and the energy potential of the Saudi economy.
This marks the second state visit to India by the Crown Prince, with his previous visit occurring in February 2019. Prime Minister Modi reciprocated with a visit to Saudi Arabia in October 2019, during which the two countries established the Strategic Partnership Council. India and Saudi Arabia have cooperated in various formats to address challenges, including Saudi Arabia's extensive support to the Indian air force and navy in evacuating citizens from conflict-ridden Sudan. Saudi naval and air support played a crucial role in safely transporting Indian citizens from strife-torn Sudanese cities to Jeddah and Port Said.
The Ministry of External Affairs emphasized that India is Saudi Arabia's second-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching $52.75 billion during the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
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