Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that defence cooperation has grown rapidly in recent years, with joint exercises, training, and defence trade gaining momentum
India and Saudi Arabia are expected to strengthen their defence cooperation and expand their economic partnership, currently valued at nearly USD 43 billion during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Kingdom on April 22 and 23, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Saturday.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that defence cooperation has grown rapidly in recent years, with joint exercises, training, and defence trade gaining momentum.
“The Defence Partnership has witnessed several firsts in the past few years. We had the first ever joint land forces exercise between the two countries in 2024. I think it’s called the ‘Sada Tanseeq’. Two editions have been held of joint naval exercises. We’ve had regular exchanges on training and capacity building and staff talks are taking place across all the three services,” he said.
According to the MEA, India is also emerging as a key defence supplier to Saudi Arabia. “Our cooperation has also expanded on the defence industry front. And India is gaining space as an important supplier of defence stores to Saudi Arabia. And a special agreement on the export of munitions to the Kingdom worth about USD 225 million was signed last year,” he added.
The two countries will also discuss deepening economic engagement during the visit. The value of bilateral trade in FY 2023-24 was close to USD 43 billion.
“The value of total trade between the two countries in FY 23-24 was nearly USD 43 billion. Saudi Arabia is India’s fifth-largest trading partner overall, and India is the Kingdom’s second-largest trading partner overall,” Misri said.
India’s imports from Saudi Arabia stood at USD 31.42 billion, while exports were valued at USD 11.56 billion. “Apart from trade, investment also continues to do well. And there are investments across different sectors such as energy, steel, chemicals, food sector, telecommunications and startups,” he added.
Energy will also be a key topic during the talks. “The value of the energy trade in FY 23- 24 was USD 25.7 billion. The Kingdom remains India’s third largest crude and petroleum sourcing destination… and also the third largest source of LPG for India, accounting for almost 18 per cent of the total LPG imports of India,” Misri said.
The visit will include the second summit-level meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council, which was established during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to India in 2019. The council has two subcommittees, one focused on security and cultural relations, and the other on trade and investment.
“This is a visit at the invitation of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Misri said, adding that the two leaders share “a very close personal relationship with a lot of warmth and respect for each other.”
This will be PM Modi’s third visit to Saudi Arabia. He was earlier conferred with the Kingdom’s highest civilian honour, the “King Abdulaziz Sash”, during his 2016 visit.
Earlier, The Ministry of External Affairs, during its special press briefing ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Saudi Arabia, expressed gratitude towards Saudi Authorities for increasing the registration of Hajj pilgrims.
In his remarks, speaking about the Hajj pilgrimage, Misri said, “You are aware that over the last decade , government has actually accorded very high priority to consistently raise India’s annual quota for pilgrims to be able to perform the Hajj pilgrimage.”
“It is a result of India’s sustained effort over a decade that the Hajj quota has increased,” Misri informed.
Describing the manner in which the quota is handled he said, “Out of the total quota 175,000, the Ministry of Minority Affairs, which works through the Hajj Committee of India is responsible for managing arrangements for 122518 pilgrims under the main quota.. the remaining quota of roughly 52000 is allotted for administration and management, as is customary practice over long period of time to private tour operators.”
He noted that many of the operators were unable to comply with the timelines set by Saudi authorities thus failed to finalise contracts for stay in Mina and also for transportation.
“We have engaged with Saudi authorities at multiple levels. The Saudi authorities have told us they are very concerned about the safety of pilgrims and their well-being, especially in Mina, you’re aware that the Hajj times takes place as it will this year in very hot conditions,” Misri said.
“You’re also aware of the very unfortunate accident that took place last year that resulted in the loss of a large number of lives. So the concern is that we have seen on the part of Saudi authorities is well placed, but nevertheless, the government continued to persist and raise with the Saudi authorities the issue of allowing or enabling the private tour operators to be able to use the quota, or part of the quota that was allotted to them and as a result of this intervention, there has been an in principle agreement whereby the Saudi Hajj Ministry has agreed to facilitate the registration of an additional 10,000 pilgrims based on current availability in Mina,” he added.
Misri further added, “The Ministry of Minority Affairs has been in touch with the combined Hajj group operators to essentially get them ready to avail of this opportunity, and we look forward to the facilitation of this in the very, very near future. We obviously appreciate this gesture from the Saudi authorities. We remain in touch with them for any further measures that they could take to accommodate more pilgrims.”
In his remarks the Foreign Secretary also noted that the facilitation of Hajj is a very important issue between India and Saudi Arabia. Misri said, “The facilitation of the Hajj is a very important issue bilaterally between India and Saudi Arabia and it is only to be expected that the issue will figure in the discussions during the upcoming visit”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Saudi Arabia next week at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with his official engagements scheduled to take place in Jeddah on April 22 and 23. (ANI)
