New Delhi: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in India amid tension between India and Pakistan over the February 14 Pulwama attack. Mohammed bin Salman - MBS, as he is referred to, was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Palam technical area on Tuesday night. He was given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday morning.
Referring to the Pulwama attack on CRPF convoy, on February 14, PM Modi said that those 'supporting terrorism' need to be brought to books. "I am happy that Saudi Arabia and India agree on this... We have agreed to extend cooperation in counter-terrorism, maritime security and cybersecurity," Modi said during a joint statement.
Talking to media on the sidelines of the reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, MBS said that 'India is in Saudi DNA'. "Today we want to be sure that this relationship is maintained and improved for the sake of both countries. With the leadership of the President and the PM, I am sure we can create good things for Saudi Arabia and India," he further said. During his speech, the Saudi Crown Prince said that India offers opportunities worth over $100 billion.
It is worth mentioning here that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman witness the exchange of MoUs between the two countries. Saudi minister of state Adel al-Jubeir was quoted as saying "Our objective is to try to de-escalate tensions between the two countries, neighbouring countries, and to see if there is a path forward to resolving those differences peacefully,". Welcoming the Crown Prince, PM Modi said, "India is delighted to welcome HRH Mohammed Bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia." India is delighted to welcome HRH Mohammed Bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, later during the day, he met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at 10.45 am at ITC Maurya Hotel in New Delhi. PM Modi and MBS are slated to hold delegation level talks and will exchange agreements and press statements later during the day. The Saudi Crown Prince will then meet President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. While India will be raising the issue of cross-border terrorism from Pakistan, some of the key areas of cooperation include trade, tourism, information and broadcasting.
also read Curfew relaxed in Jammu and Kashmir for a few hours, further extension depends upon the situation
Mohammed bin Salman is scheduled to depart at 11.50 pm. Reports suggested that he would be visiting China as a part of his Asia tour.
