India–Saudi Arabia Deepen Strategic Partnership with Wide-Ranging Agreements Across Energy, Defence, Aviation, and Investmen

India–Saudi Arabia Deepen Strategic Partnership with Wide-Ranging Agreements Across Energy, Defence, Aviation, and Investment

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud during high-level talks in Riyadh, where India and Saudi Arabia strengthened bilateral ties through agreements in energy, defence, civil aviation, renewable energy, and investment cooperation.

Riyadh/New Delhi:
India and Saudi Arabia have taken a significant step forward in strengthening their long-standing bilateral relationship, signing and advancing a series of agreements across key sectors including petroleum, defence manufacturing, civil aviation, renewable energy, healthcare regulation, and financial services. The developments came during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia, where he also participated in the third edition of the prestigious Future Investment Initiative (FII) Forum in Riyadh.

The visit underscored the growing strategic convergence between the two countries, reflecting shared economic interests, expanding people-to-people ties, and a mutual commitment to regional stability and sustainable growth. Senior leaders from both sides described the engagement as a milestone in India–Saudi relations, which have steadily evolved from an energy-centric partnership into a comprehensive strategic alliance.

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High-Level Talks with Saudi Leadership

During the visit, Prime Minister Modi metSaudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, with the two leaders holding wide-ranging discussions on deepening cooperation across multiple domains. The talks focused on strengthening political coordination, expanding trade and investment flows, enhancing defence and security collaboration, and exploring new areas such as renewable energy, digital payments, and innovation-driven growth.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to working closely to advance bilateral relations and highlighted the importance of regular high-level dialogue in maintaining momentum in the partnership. The meeting also reflected the strong personal rapport and mutual respect between the leaderships of the two nations.

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Agreements Across Multiple Strategic Sectors

As part of the visit, India and Saudi Arabia concluded and advanced several agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) aimed at institutionalizing cooperation in critical areas:

Energy and Petroleum Cooperation:
Energy remains the cornerstone of India–Saudi relations, with Saudi Arabia being one of India’s largest crude oil suppliers. The two sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the petroleum sector, including refining, petrochemicals, and strategic oil reserves. Saudi ARAMCO’s continued engagement with Indian partners was discussed as a key element of long-term energy security and industrial collaboration.

Defence and Security Collaboration:
A major highlight of the discussions was enhanced cooperation in the defence industry. Both countries expressed interest in joint production, technology transfer, and capacity-building initiatives. Mutual support in defence manufacturing aligns with India’s “Make in India” initiative and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals of localizing defence production.

Civil Aviation and Air Services:
An agreement on air services aims to improve connectivity between the two countries, facilitating greater movement of passengers, business travelers, and cargo. Enhanced aviation ties are expected to support tourism, trade, and the large Indian diaspora living and working in Saudi Arabia.

Renewable Energy and Sustainability:
Recognizing global climate challenges, India and Saudi Arabia agreed to cooperate in renewable energy, including solar and green hydrogen projects. The partnership reflects a shared interest in diversifying energy portfolios and supporting the global transition toward cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.

Healthcare and Medical Regulation:
The two sides also reached understandings on the regulation of medical products, ensuring better cooperation in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and healthcare standards. Discussions included measures to address the control of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and demand-producing medicines, emphasizing public health and regulatory coordination.

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Financial, Digital, and Institutional Cooperation

Beyond traditional sectors, the visit marked progress in financial and institutional collaboration:

Banking and Retail Fuel Outlets:
An agreement between Saudi Arabia’s Al Jeri Group and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) was highlighted, focusing on cooperation in retail fuel outlets. This partnership is expected to enhance downstream energy infrastructure and create new business opportunities.

Stock Market and Investment Linkages:
India and Saudi Arabia discussed cooperation between their respective stock exchanges, aimed at facilitating cross-border listings, capital flows, and investor participation. Such measures are seen as critical for deepening financial integration and attracting long-term investments.

Digital Payments and RuPay:
The expansion of India’s RuPay card network in Saudi Arabia was also discussed, reflecting growing cooperation in fintech and digital payments. This move is expected to benefit Indian travelers, pilgrims, and expatriates by enabling seamless transactions.

Diplomatic and Institutional Exchanges:
Both sides emphasized strengthening cooperation between diplomatic institutions, training academies, and policy think tanks to foster greater mutual understanding and long-term strategic alignment.

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Haj and People-to-People Cooperation

Haj and Umrah cooperation featured prominently in the discussions, given the importance of Saudi Arabia to millions of Indian Muslim pilgrims. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring safe, smooth, and well-coordinated pilgrimage arrangements, with an emphasis on logistics, healthcare, and digital facilitation.

The Indian community in Saudi Arabia, one of the largest expatriate populations in the Kingdom, was also acknowledged as a vital bridge between the two nations. Leaders on both sides praised the contribution of Indian professionals and workers to Saudi Arabia’s economy and development.

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Engagement with Key Saudi Ministers

In addition to meeting the King, Prime Minister Modi held separate meetings with several senior Saudi ministers to advance sector-specific cooperation.

He met Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, to discuss ways to further strengthen collaboration in the energy sector. The talks focused on stable energy supplies, joint investments, and long-term strategic planning amid global market volatility.

The Prime Minister also met Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsin Al-Fazli, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture. Discussions covered cooperation in sustainable agriculture, water management, food security, and environmental protection—areas of growing importance for both nations.

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Future Investment Initiative Forum: Pitching India as a Global Investment Hub

A key highlight of the visit was Prime Minister Modi’s address at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Forum, often described as the “Davos of the Desert.” Addressing global business leaders, policymakers, and investors, he reiterated India’s ambition to become a five trillion-dollar economy and outlined the country’s reform-driven growth story.

The Prime Minister highlighted India’s stable macroeconomic fundamentals, large domestic market, demographic dividend, and expanding digital infrastructure. He emphasized that India offers transparent policies, a predictable regulatory environment, and a strong focus on ease of doing business.

PM Modi noted that India has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing startup ecosystems, with a rapidly increasing number of unicorns—startups valued at over $1 billion. He pointed out that many Indian startups are now investing globally, reflecting growing confidence and maturity in the Indian innovation landscape.

Describing Saudi Arabia as a “valuable and trusted friend of India,” the Prime Minister encouraged Saudi and global investors to participate in India’s growth journey across sectors such as infrastructure, manufacturing, renewable energy, technology, and logistics.

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Strategic Convergence and the Road Ahead

India–Saudi Arabia relations have witnessed a marked transformation in recent years, driven by shared economic priorities and converging geopolitical interests. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and India’s development agenda present complementary opportunities for collaboration in investment, technology, and human capital development.

Analysts note that the expanding scope of cooperation—from energy and defence to digital payments and healthcare regulation—reflects a mature and diversified partnership. With regular high-level engagement and institutional mechanisms in place, both sides appear committed to translating agreements into tangible outcomes.

As Prime Minister Modi’s visit concluded, officials from both countries expressed optimism that the agreements and discussions would provide a strong foundation for deeper strategic cooperation in the years ahead, reinforcing India and Saudi Arabia’s roles as key partners in a rapidly evolving global economic and political landscape.

 

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