JEDDAH: India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Jeddah on Tuesday for his third visit as premier to Saudi Arabia, where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Modi however cut short his two-day visit following a deadly attack in Kashmir. The trip came a day after Modi held high-level talks with US Vice President JD Vance in India, with New Delhi looking to seal a trade deal with Washington and stave off punishing tariffs.

“India deeply values its long and historic ties with Saudi Arabia that have acquired strategic depth and momentum in recent years,” said Modi in a statement released by his office. “Together, we have developed a mutually beneficial and substantive partnership.” Pictures posted on Modi’s X account showed the premier greeted by several Saudi officials after touching down in Jeddah in the afternoon. India and Saudi Arabia are exploring joint projects in refineries and petrochemicals, Modi told Arab News in an interview. “We are now working on feasibility studies for electricity grid interconnectivity between India

and Saudi Arabia and the wider region,” he added. Saudi Arabia has been a key supplier of oil to India, the world’s most populous country, for years. India’s rapidly developing economy relies heavily on petroleum imports, with Saudi Arabia ranked as its third-largest supplier according to the Indian foreign ministry. The Gulf kingdom is also home to more than two million Indian nationals who have long played a pivotal role in its labor market, helping construct many of the country’s mega-projects while sending billions of dollars in remittances back home each year.

During the visit, Modi was scheduled to meet members of the Indian community, according to his office. Both Modi and Prince Mohammed fostered close relations with US President Donald Trump during his first term in office. Trump has flagged a visit to Saudi Arabia next month for what would be his first major diplomatic trip abroad of his second term. – Agencies