Jeddah: Royal Air Force of Saudi Arabia extended a gesture of sending F-15 fighter jets as escorts to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aircraft once it entered the Saudi Arabian airspace on Tuesday. Modi is on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia and left for the Middle Eastern nation on Tuesday morning at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Siasat reported.
#WATCH | In a special gesture, fighter planes from Saudi Arabia escort Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plane as it entered Saudi airspace to Jeddah. pic.twitter.com/Vhzxd6ir5p
— ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2025
According to Siasat, it was Modi’s third visit to Saudi Arabia in the past ten years and the first by an Indian Prime Minister to visit Jeddah in 40 years. Modi and Crown Prince Salman are expected to co-chair the second meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council. The Strategic Partnership Council was established in 2019 to boost bilateral relations.
Further, the meeting is expected to sign a number of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs). Also, key discussions focusing on strengthening economic cooperation, bolstering defence ties, and addressing regional geopolitical challenges are also expected.
The Prime Minister is expected to visit a factory that employs a large number of Indians on Wednesday.
Modi had said before his departure that India has a deep appreciation for its longstanding and historic relationship with Saudi Arabia, and he added that the two powers’ partnership has gained strategic momentum in recent years. They have developed a mutually beneficial and substantive partnership, including in the domains of defence, trade, investment, energy and people-to-people ties, Modi said.
Talking to Arab News, the PM praised Saudi Arabia, saying the kingdom is one of India’s most valued partners. It is a trusted friend and ally and described that the current period is a promising time for their ties, which has “limitless potential”, as quoted by Arab News.