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India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday for his third official visit to the prosperous Gulf nation. The trip follows high-level discussions held one day prior between Modi and U.S. Vice President JD Vance in India, where New Delhi aims to finalize a trade agreement with Washington and avoid stringent tariffs.
In a statement released by his office, Modi emphasized, "India greatly cherishes its longstanding and historically significant relationship with Saudi Arabia, which has gained strategic depth and momentum in recent years. Together, we have built a partnership that is both meaningful and advantageous."
Upon his arrival in Jeddah, photographs shared on Modi’s X account showed him being welcomed by various Saudi officials.
During this two-day visit, Modi noted in an interview with Arab News that India and Saudi Arabia are pursuing collaborative projects in the fields of refineries and petrochemicals. He stated, "We are currently conducting feasibility studies for the interconnection of electricity grids between India, Saudi Arabia, and the broader region."
Saudi Arabia has been a vital oil supplier to India for many years, catering to the needs of the world’s most populous country. According to India’s foreign ministry, Saudi Arabia is the nation’s third-largest oil supplier, a fact that is crucial to India’s rapidly growing economy, which is heavily dependent on petroleum imports.
Additionally, Saudi Arabia is home to over two million Indian expatriates who significantly contribute to its labor force, participating in the construction of major national projects and sending billions of dollars in remittances back to India each year.
Modi’s itinerary includes meetings with members of the Indian diaspora during this visit, as noted by his office.
Both Modi and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have previously cultivated strong ties with former U.S. President Donald Trump during his first term. Trump has indicated plans to visit Saudi Arabia next month, marking his first major diplomatic journey abroad in his second term.
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