Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday departed for Saudi Arabia, marking his third official visit to the Gulf nation — a milestone that equals the total number of Saudi visits made by all previous Indian prime ministers over the past 70 years.
This trip also marks Modi’s 15th visit to the Gulf region since 2014, underscoring India’s deepening engagement with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries in terms of economics, defence, and diplomacy.
Strategic Partnership Council Meeting
The visit is centred around the second meeting of the India-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council, an initiative aimed at enhancing high-level dialogue and cooperation between the two nations. It is expected to significantly strengthen bilateral strategic and economic ties.
PM Modi’s Statement Before Departure
Before leaving, PM Modi shared a post on his official X handle, highlighting the importance of the visit and India’s relationship with Saudi Arabia.
“Leaving for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where I will attend various meetings and programs. India greatly values its historical ties with Saudi Arabia. Over the last decade, our bilateral relations have gained significant momentum. I look forward to participating in the second meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council and also interacting with the Indian community there,” the Prime Minister wrote.
Meeting With Indian Diaspora
During his visit, PM Modi is also scheduled to interact with members of the Indian diaspora, which forms a significant part of the workforce in Saudi Arabia and plays a key role in strengthening people-to-people ties between the two nations.