Daijiworld Media Network- New Delhi

New Delhi, Apr 23: In a significant diplomatic engagement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman co-chaired the second India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council (SPC) meeting in Jeddah on Tuesday, even as grim news from back home in Jammu and Kashmir led the Prime Minister to cut his visit short.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the leaders assessed progress across a wide range of sectors — including political ties, defence cooperation, energy, trade, technology, agriculture, and people-to-people engagement. The two leaders signed the official minutes of the session, reaffirming their shared vision for deeper bilateral ties under the SPC framework.

A major development from the meeting was the establishment of two new ministerial committees — one on Defence Cooperation and another on Tourism and Cultural Cooperation — highlighting the growing multidimensional engagement between the two nations. The SPC will now operate through four specialized committees, reflecting a more structured and strategic approach to this evolving partnership.

On the economic front, the High-Level Task Force on Investment (HLTF) reported tangible progress towards the Kingdom’s pledged investment of USD 100 billion in India. Key projects under discussion include the development of two major oil refineries and improved bilateral taxation frameworks to facilitate smoother cross-sector investment.

However, the visit was overshadowed by the tragic terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists. In a mark of respect and urgency, PM Modi cancelled his scheduled official dinner in Jeddah and departed Saudi Arabia ahead of schedule to attend to the situation back home.

Despite the abrupt conclusion, the SPC meeting marked another chapter of growing trust and cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia, reaffirming both nations' intent to work closely on shared priorities and challenges.