PM Modi lands in Jeddah; 6 MoUs to be signed, Hajj quota on agenda
As a special gesture towards the Prime Minister, F-15s of the Royal Saudi Air Force escort his aircraft in Saudi airspace
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (April 22) arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Saudi Arabia, for a two-day visit on the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This will be the Prime Minister’s first visit to Jeddah and the third one to Saudi Arabia over the past decade.
As a special gesture towards the Prime Minister, F-15s of the Royal Saudi Air Force escorted his aircraft in Saudi airspace.
Also Read: PM Modi embarks on Saudi visit to boost strategic, bilateral ties
"Landed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This visit will strengthen the friendship between India and Saudi Arabia. Eager to take part in the various programmes today and tomorrow," Modi posted on X.
Hajj quota on PM's agenda
According to a PTI report, the Prime Minister along with the Crown Prince will co-chair the second meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council, established during the prime minister's 2019 visit to strengthen bilateral ties.
Modi will also discuss issues like the Hajj quota for Indian pilgrims during his meeting with the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud later in the day, reported PTI quoting sources.
Although India's Hajj quota for 2025 shot up to 175,025 from 136,020 in 2014, with arrangements for 122,518 pilgrims finalised, delays by Combined Hajj Group Operators in contract agreements, approximately 42,000 Indians will likely be unable to make the pilgrimage, reported India Today.
"Hajj is a very important activity and the Government of India gives it a lot of importance. Ministry of Minority Affairs has been arranging this activity... There are various issues discussed in the bilateral talks. There has always been a great coordination between the Saudi government and India on Hajj," Indian ambassador to Saudi Arabia Suhel Ajaz Khan told PTI ahead of the prime minister's visit.
Will take part in Strategic Partnership Council meeting
The Prime Minister will also take part in the in the second meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council and build upon the state visit of Prince Mohammed bin Salman to India in 2023 for the G20 Summit.
Interacting with the "vibrant" Indian community in Saudi Arabia is also on the Prime Minister’s agenda. Saudi Arabia is home to 2.7 million Indians who live and work in Saudi Arabia.
'Saudi Arabia is a trusted ally'
Ahead of his arrival in Jeddah, Modi in an interview to Arab News described Saudi Arabia as "one of India's most valued partners, a maritime neighbour, a trusted friend and a strategic ally".
"We consider Saudi Arabia a force of positivity and stability in the region. As maritime neighbours, India and Saudi Arabia share a natural interest in safeguarding peace and stability in the region," he said.
Also Read: India-Saudi Arabia ties have acquired strategic depth, momentum: PM Modi
Before heading for Jeddah, the Prime Minister said that in recent years the historic ties between India and Saudi Arabia have gained strategic depth.
"Together, we have developed a mutually beneficial and substantive partnership, including in the domains of defence, trade, investment, energy and people-to-people ties," the Prime Minister wrote on his blog.
Six MoUs to be signed
Six memorandums of understanding (MoUs) will be signed between India and Saudi Arabia during the Prime Minister’s visit, PTI reported quoting sources. The MoUs are likely to be on the fields of space, energy, health, science and scientific research, culture and advanced technology.
"Meetings in Riyadh continued late Monday to finalise details, with over a dozen MoUs under discussion, some to be signed at the official level," an official told PTI.
Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters that the visit visit will provide an important opportunity to discuss the Israel-Palestine conflict along with the threat to maritime security posed by Houthi attacks.
With inputs from agencies