Samikhsya Bureau
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday received the Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud as the latter arrived in New Delhi on his two-day crucial and maiden state visit to India at a time heightened tension has surfaced between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack by Jaish-e-Mohammed.
“India is delighted to welcome HRH Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia,” Modi tweeted. A new chapter in bilateral relations. Breaking protocol, PM Narendra Modi personally receives Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia as he arrives on his first bilateral visit to India,” ministry of external affairs secretary Raveesh Kumar tweeted.
The Crown Prince’s India visit follows his two-day state visit to Pakistan. On Sunday, he visited Pakistan and announced an investment of 20 billion dollars (over Rs.1.42 lakh crore) in the country, which, with Pulwama wound fresh, has not gone down well in diplomatic circles in India. Forty CRPF personnel were killed in Pulwama after a suicide bomber of JeM rammed his explosive laden SUV into a convoy transporting the personnel. Eyebrows have also been raised about Modi personally receiving the Crown Prince after the latter’s “charity” to Pakistan in the aftermath of Pulwama.
The central government has however asserted that notwithstanding the fact that Prince Mohammed bil Salman has made a visit to Islamabad just on the eve of his trip to India, the context of Pakistan is “irrevalant” India-Saudi Arabia relations. The visiting dignitary will have rounds of discussions with external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Modi on Wednesday.
However, in addition to the hardcore diplomatic issues including terror which would figure prominently at the talks between Indian and Saudi sides on Wednesday, issues of Haj quota and imprisonment of Indians in Saudi Arabia will also figure prominently. Sources also said issues pertaining to imprisonment of Indians in Saudi jails will also be taken up.
“We will take up this issue also. This is something we are aware of. We have consular issues and other things which we will definitely like to enhance. In fact, we have taken this up before as well,” the source said.
In fact, there are different ‘sets of people’ from India in Saudi jails including hardened criminals and people involved in petty crimes and hence this is an important issue to be raised, sources said.
With regard energy sector, the official pointed out that in 2016 Joint Statement itself it was pointed out that – both sides should try to “transform the buyer-seller relationship in the energy-sector to one of deeper partnership focusing on investment and joint ventures in petrochemical complexes, and cooperation in joint exploration in India, Saudi Arabia and also in third countries”.
The two sides have also agreed over the months to focus on areas of training and human resources development and cooperation in research and development in the energy sector.
In this regard, the two sides expressed the need for regular meetings under the umbrella of India-Saudi Arabia Ministerial Energy Dialogue, the official said.
(With agency inputs)
