Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), April 22: In a mark of honor and deepening diplomatic ties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aircraft was escorted by Royal Saudi Air Force F-15 fighter jets as it entered Saudi Arabian airspace en route to Jeddah on Tuesday.
PM Modi is on a two-day State visit to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. This marks Modi’s third visit to the Kingdom, and notably, his first time visiting Jeddah.
The Ministry of External Affairs shared the special gesture on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing the growing strategic bond between the two nations.
“PM Narendra Modi has departed for a two-day State visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This is PM’s third visit to Saudi Arabia. PM Narendra Modi, along with Crown Prince & PM of Saudi Arabia, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman, will co-chair the 2nd Leaders’ Meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council,” read the official post.
Modi’s visit will focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation in key sectors including defence, energy, trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges. He and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are set to co-chair the 2nd India-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council Meeting, aimed at advancing regional stability and prosperity.
In a statement prior to departure, PM Modi highlighted the historic and strategic nature of India-Saudi Arabia relations:
“India deeply values its long and historic ties with Saudi Arabia, which have acquired strategic depth and momentum in recent years. Together, we have developed a mutually beneficial and substantive partnership… We share a commitment to promoting regional peace, prosperity, and security.”
This trip also represents PM Modi’s 15th visit to a Gulf nation since taking office in 2014, underscoring New Delhi’s growing engagement with the region. His earlier visits to Saudi Arabia in 2016 and 2019 helped solidify an era of enhanced strategic cooperation, particularly in energy security and diaspora engagement.