Strengthening cooperation in combating terrorist operations, India becomes fourth country to sign SPC agreement with Saudi Arabia
Riyadh, October 30: Strengthening cooperation in combating terrorist operations, India and Saudi Arabia have agreed to establish a Strategic Partnership Council and signed 12 MoUs in various areas of mutual interests, taking the bilateral relationship to the next level. The Strategic Partnership Council Agreement was signed by Prime Minister Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman in Riyadh last night.
One of the most important outcomes of the visit is expected to be the establishment of a Strategic Partnership Council (SPC) between the two countries. India will become the fourth country with which the Kingdom has formed a strategic partnership, the others being the UK, France and China.
The Council will be an all-encompassing bilateral mechanism which will cover an entire spectrum of relationship between the two countries. Prime Minister’s day-long visit to Saudi Arabia was intense on engagement and high on deliverables. Prime Minister who was in Saudi Arabia yesterday met King Salman and had a fruitful bilateral discussion on matters of mutual interest. Saudi Arabia’s Energy ministers, Foreign Minister, Labour Minister and Agriculture Minister called on the Prime Minister during his visit. Prime Minister Modi also held delegation-level talks with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
On the side-lines, PM Modi met the King of Jordan who was here to attend the Future Investment Initiative Forum. The two leaders exchanged views to strengthen bilateral ties across various sectors. 12 MoUs related to security, defense, civil aviation, the renewable energy sector, and capacity building was signed during the visit.
The two sides also agreed to establish a Strategic Partnership Council, which will be headed by the top leadership on either side. Ahead of the visit, Saudi Arabia released 450 prisoners as a special gesture. Prime Minister Modi addressed the Future Investment Initiative Forum, which was attended by the Crown Prince too. Prime Minister in his address reiterated his government's resolve to make India a five trillion economy. He highlighted to the international investors the prospect of India as an investment destination and said that by 2024, India will invest 100 billion dollars in refineries, pipelines and gas terminals to create energy infrastructure. Before flying off to India, Prime Minister in a tweet thanked King Salman and Crown Prince for their hospitality and said that interacting with them was always ‘special’.
Prime Minister Modi has returned home after a daylong successful visit to Saudi Arabia.