Syllabus:
GS-2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests
Context:
The Prime Minister of India paid a State Visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on April 22, 2025.
More on the News
- This was Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s third visit to Saudi Arabia.
- This visit follows the historic State Visit of the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to India in September 2023 to participate in the G-20 Summit and co-chair the first meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council.
Key Outcomes of the State Visit
• Both leaders co-chaired the second meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council (SPC).
- The Council reviewed the work of the various committees on political, defence, security, trade, investment, energy, technology, agriculture, culture and people-to-people ties.
• The Council decided to create a new Ministerial Committee on Tourism and Cultural Cooperation under the SPC to strengthen cultural and people-to-people ties.
- The four committees under the India-Saudi Arabia SPC shall now be as follows:
- Political, Consular and Security Cooperation Committee.
- Defence Cooperation Committee.
- Economy, Energy, Investment and Technology Committee.
- Tourism and Cultural Cooperation Committee.
• The two leaders signed the Minutes of the Second SPC Meeting.
• Both sides agreed to collaborate on establishing Two Refineries in India.
The Following MoUs were Signed During the Visit
- MoU between the Department of Space, India, and the Saudi Space Agency in the field of space activities for peaceful purposes.
- MoU between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Republic of India and the Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia & on Cooperation in the Field of Health.
- Bilateral Agreement between the Department of Posts, India and Saudi Post Corporation (SPL) for inward foreign surface parcel.
- MOU between the National Anti-Doping Agency of India (NADA), India, and Saudi Arabia Anti-Doping Committee (SAADC) for cooperation in the field of anti-doping and prevention.
India-Saudi Arabia relations
- India and Saudi Arabia established diplomatic relations in 1947, with major milestones such as the Delhi Declaration in 2006 and the Riyadh Declaration in 2010 during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit, which elevated the relationship to a Strategic Partnership.
- In 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second visit further strengthened ties with the establishment of the Strategic Partnership Council (SPC).
Economic Cooperation:
- India is the 2nd largest trade partner of Saudi Arabia, whereas Saudi Arabia is the 5th largest trading partner of India.
- In Financial Year 2023-24, bilateral trade stood at USD 42.98 billion, with Indian exports at USD 11.56 billion and imports at USD 31.42 billion.
- Saudi Arabia is a signatory to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, which is a multi-modal connectivity initiative launched during the G20 Summit 2023 in New Delhi.
Energy Partnership:
- Saudi Arabia remained India’s third-largest Crude and Petroleum products sourcing for FY 2023-24.
- In FY 2023-24, Saudi Arabia was the 3rd largest LPG sourcing destination for India, accounting for 18.2% of the total LPG imports of India for 2023-24.
Defence Partnership:
- The first India-Saudi joint land exercise, EX-SADA TANSEEQ, took place in India in 2024, alongside the bilateral naval exercise ‘Al Mohed Al Hindi’.
- In December 2022, Saudi Arabia’s Power for Defence Technologies Co (PDTC) inked an agreement with India’s DPSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to work jointly on technologies linked to aerospace.
- UPSC Mains Practice Questions: Critically evaluate the recent developments in the bilateral relationship in light of the 2025 State Visit. What are the opportunities and challenges in deepening this partnership further?
- UPSC Mains PYQ: The question of India’s Energy Security Constitutes the most important part of India’s economic progress. Analyse India’s energy policy cooperation with West Asian countries. (2017)