PM Modi to visit Saudi Arabia today - What’s on the agenda

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Jeddah today for a two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia, marking his first-ever visit to the Kingdom’s commercial capital. Invited by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, this trip will be PM Modi’s third to the Kingdom after earlier visits in 2016 and 2019. It comes as part of the ongoing high-level diplomatic engagements between the two nations, following the Crown Prince’s own state visit to New Delhi for the G20 Summit in September 2023.
PM Modi and the Crown Prince will co-chair the second meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council during the visit. According to Indian Ambassador Suhel Ajaz Khan, a large number of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed, with key discussions centred on strengthening economic ties, bolstering defence cooperation and addressing regional political challenges.
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jeddah, India and Saudi Arabia are set to sign at least six MoUs on Tuesday, with talks ongoing to finalize more. Key agreements are expected in space, energy, health, science, culture, and advanced technology, news agency PTI reported quoting sources. PM Modi will also discuss the Hajj quota for Indian pilgrims with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Sources said over a dozen MoUs are under discussion, with efforts underway to conclude additional deals in trade, investment, and defence.

"Jeddah is a very, very significant city in terms of connectivity between India and Saudi Arabia because for centuries, Jeddah was the port for the trade between the two countries, and it is also a gateway to Mecca. So anyone who is coming for Umrah and Hajj lands up in Jeddah and then goes to Mecca," Indian ambassador to Saudi Arabia Suhel Ajaz Khan told PTI ahead of the prime minister's visit.
"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," the ambassador said.
India’s Haj quota for 2025 has increased to 175,025 from 136,020 in 2014, with arrangements in place for 122,518 pilgrims. However, around 42,000 Indians may miss the pilgrimage this year due to delays by Combined Haj Group Operators in finalizing contracts.
Ambassador Khan highlighted that around 2.7 million Indians reside in Saudi Arabia, significantly contributing to the Kingdom’s development while maintaining close cultural and familial ties with India.
On the defence front, the visit is expected to provide further momentum to an already robust partnership. India and Saudi Arabia signed a bilateral defence cooperation MoU in 2014, and have since conducted joint naval and land exercises.
Plans are underway for another round of naval drills soon, as per Khan.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri noted that regional and international issues such as the situation in West Asia, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and maritime security concerns related to Houthi attacks will also be discussed.
Bilateral trade between the two nations currently stands at around $43 billion, and PM Modi’s visit is seen as a key step in not only boosting economic ties but also strengthening India’s engagement with the broader Gulf and Islamic world.