PM Modi receives Saudi Crown Prince at airport
New Delhi, Feb 19: In a special gesture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday received at the airport here Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, signifying importance India attaches to the visit by the leader of the powerful Gulf nation.
The Crown Prince arrived here on a less than 30-hour visit, a day after concluding his high-profile tour of Pakistan where he said dialogue was the only way to resolve "outstanding issues" between India and Pakistan.
After his arrival, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Ravish Kumar tweeted, "A new chapter in bilateral relations. Breaking protocol, PM @narendramodi personally recieves HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia as he arrives on his first bilateral visit to India!"
The Saudi leader had returned to Riyadh from Pakistan.
He and Modi will hold extensive talks on Wednesday during which India is likely to strongly raise the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
According a warm welcome, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday not only received the Crown Prince at the airport in Islamabad but also drove him to PM house.
During their talks on Wednesday, Modi and Salman are also expected to look at ways to enhancing defence ties, including having a joint naval exercise, official sources said.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Crown Prince will leave New Delhi around 11:50 PM on Wednesday.
His visit comes in the backdrop of the escalating tension between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack carried out by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group in which 40 CRPF were killed.
In a joint statement, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Monday called for avoiding "politicisation" of the UN listing regime at a time when India was stepping up efforts to brand the JeM terror group's chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.
The joint statement said the Saudi Crown Prince stressed that dialogue is the only way to ensure peace and stability in the region to resolve "outstanding issues" between India and Pakistan.
Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir said in Islamabad Riyadh will try to "de-escalate" tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Pulwama attack.
Official sources said Saudi Arabia was no longer accepting Pakistan's narrative on Kashmir and cross border terrorism and that India will forcefully raise the issue of Pakistan's support to terror groups during delegation level talks between Modi and the Crown Prince.
They said the joint statement to be issued after talks between the two sides is likely to have strong reference about terrorism and ways to deal with it.
Official sources said there has been a "change" in the way Saudi Arabia looked at relations between India and Pakistan and that the powerful Gulf nation has a better understanding of the cross-border terrorism.
The sources said the two sides are looking at joint exercise between the two navies besides significantly ramping up overall defence cooperation.
India's bilateral trade with Saudi Arabia was USD 27.48 billion in 2017-18, making Saudi Arabia its fourth largest trading partner.
Saudi Arabia is also a key pillar of India's energy security, being a source of 17 per cent or more of crude oil and 32 per cent of LPG requirements of India.
Recently, Saudi ARAMCO in partnership with ADNOC of UAE has agreed to partner in Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemical project Ltd which is a joint venture of USD 44 billion.
Indian partners are IOC, BPCL and HPCL.
The Crown Prince is expected to travel to China from India.
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India, Ethiopia elevate ties to strategic partnership as PM Modi holds talks with his counterpart
Addis Ababa (PTI): India and Ethiopia on Tuesday elevated their historical ties to a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali during which they discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interest.
Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on his maiden bilateral visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace ahead of the bilateral talks, reflecting the vibrant India-Ethiopia relations rooted in shared history and a promising future.
"We are elevating India and Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties," Prime Minister Modi said during the delegation-level talks.
He thanked PM Ali for his support in India's fight against terrorism. "The support of friendly countries in this struggle against terrorism holds great significance," Modi said.
"Today, we got the opportunity to deliberate on the key aspects of our cooperation, such as economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, capacity-building and multilateral cooperation. I am pleased that today, we have decided to double the student scholarship for Ethiopia in India," Modi said.
Modi said that India and Ethiopia have shared contact, dialogue, and exchange for thousands of years. The two countries, which are rich in languages and traditions, are symbols of unity in diversity, he added.
"Both countries are democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity. We are co-travellers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder," he said.
The two sides signed eight MoUs/agreements, including upgrading ties to 'Strategic Partnership', customs cooperation, establishing data center at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, UN Peacekeeping training cooperation, debt restructuring under G20, more ICCR scholarships and AI short courses for Ethiopians, and support for maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Modi said the African Union's headquarters in Ethiopia makes the country a meeting point of African diplomacy. "Inspired by the common vision of an inclusive world, in 2023, India ensured that the African Union became a G20 member," he said.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
Modi said that though this is his first visit, he felt a deep sense of belonging and warmth, reflecting the thousands of years of connection between the two countries.
On his part, Prime Minister Ali said the two countries share over thousands of years of connection through trade, diplomacy, education, culture and even in our food and traditions. "These ties continue to shape a deep friendship, collaboration and mutual respect between our people," he said.
"We also appreciate your consistent message that Africa's priorities must lead the partnership. These kinds of dignified, respectful messages for Africa are very important. Mr Prime Minister, keep pushing. That is the type of message we are expecting from all our trusted friends," Ali said.
He said this aligned fully with Ethiopia's development plan - African-owned, African-led, and African-defined.
"Today, we meet with a clear focus to shape a modern partnership, grounded in sovereignty, self-reliance and practical cooperation. Our cooperation is rooted in equality and South-South solidarity," he said.
"Our economy is performing strongly. Last year, we grew 9.2% and this year we are expecting 10.3% GDP growth. Besides GDP growth, our FDI inflow is also rising big time. India is the leading source for our FDI," he said.
"We have more than 615 Indian companies which are investing in Ethiopia. This all gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust. I think our decision today that we elevate our historic relationship to a strategic relationship is the right decision," he added.
Ethiopia also conferred its highest award - The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia - on PM Modi. He is the first global head of state to receive this award.
Prime Minister Modi also went to the Friendship Park and Friendship Square in Addis Ababa with PM Ali.
In a warm and special gesture, PM Modi was earlier received by his Ethiopian counterpart at the airport and accorded a warm and colourful welcome.
"Ethiopia is a nation with great history and vibrant culture," Modi said.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
"At Addis Ababa airport, took part in a traditional Coffee Ceremony with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The ceremony beautifully highlights Ethiopia’s rich heritage," Modi said.
In a unique gesture, the Ethiopian Prime Minister drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
"Gratitude to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for showing me glimpses of Ethiopian history and culture at the National Palace Museum in Addis Ababa. It was a powerful reminder of Ethiopia’s rich traditions," Modi said in a post on X.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
"Thank you Ethiopia for a welcome that was unforgettable. The Indian community showed remarkable warmth and affection. India-Ethiopia friendship is going to get even more robust in the times to come," Modi said.
When Modi arrived at the hotel, he was warmly welcomed by the members of the Indian community. Local artists performed dances. Some of them danced on the theme of the popular Hindi song 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' to welcome him.
On Wednesday, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
