Before rushing back to India PM Modi co-chaired strategic council with Saudi Crown Prince

Jeddah, April 23 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held high-level bilateral talks in Jeddah and co-chaired the second meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council (SPC) on Tuesday before the PM left for India in view of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Despite the curtailed visit, the talks in Jeddah marked a significant stride in deepening India-Saudi Arabia strategic ties.

The engagement on Tuesday marked a major step forward in strengthening the multifaceted ties between the two nations, with new initiatives launched across key sectors such as Defence, energy, investment, and cultural cooperation.

"PM @narendramodi and Crown Prince HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman held extensive talks & co-chaired the 2nd India–Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council (SPC) in Jeddah at the Royal Palace. HRH Crown Prince strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack & expressed his deepest condolences on the innocent lives lost," the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote in a post on X on Wednesday.

"They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest & the ongoing cooperation under the IMEEC initiative. The two leaders reviewed the progress of the work under the SPC framework & discussed ways to strengthen the strategic partnership. They welcomed the expansion of the SPC with the addition of two new Ministerial Committees - on Defence Cooperation & Tourism and Culture Cooperation," he added.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia shared the update on social media, posting: "HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi co-chair the Saudi-Indian Strategic Partnership Council."

During the meeting, both sides agreed to establish two new Ministerial Committees one on Defence Cooperation and another on Tourism and Cultural Cooperation, under the framework of the SPC.

This brings the total number of committees under the Council to four, the others being the Political, Consular and Security Cooperation Committee, and the Economy, Energy, Investment and Technology Committee.

In another post on X, the MEA spokesperson said: "The second meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership co-chaired by Prime Minister and HRH Crown Prince was held today. The Council decided to create two new Ministerial Committees, one on Defence Cooperation and other on Tourism and Cultural Cooperation under the SPC."

Economic collaboration also featured prominently, with both nations agreeing to work together on establishing two oil refineries in India. The High-Level Task Force on Investment (HLTF) was recognised for its significant progress, particularly in areas such as taxation, seen as a breakthrough for facilitating greater investment flows in the future.

However, Prime Minister Modi had to cut short his visit in light of the deadly terror attack in J&K’s Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 16 individuals and injured many others. He cancelled a planned address to the Indian community and a state dinner hosted by the Saudi government, returning to India to oversee the situation.

The talks in Jeddah marked a significant stride in deepening India-Saudi Arabia strategic ties, signaling continued commitment to shared goals in regional stability, economic growth, and cultural collaboration.