Indian PM to visit Riyadh on April 2

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a two-day state visit to Saudi Arabia on April 2, according to reliable sources.

Modi will hold talks with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman. They will discuss key regional and international developments as well as trade and energy issues. Anti-terrorism measures will also figure high on the agenda of talks between the two leaders, according to the sources.

The prime minister will be leading a delegation of senior officials, including the foreign secretary and national security adviser.

Modi and King Salman held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Antalya, Turkey, last year.

After the meeting PMO India tweeted along with a picture of the two leaders shaking hands: “Enhancing relations with a very dear friend from Middle East. King Salman bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia meets PM.”

Saudi Arabia is India’s largest supplier of crude oil, accounting for almost one fifth of its need. The Kingdom, which is also India’s fourth largest trading partner, is home to the largest Indian diaspora.

This will be the first visit to Saudi Arabia by an Indian prime minister in six years.

Modi will leave Delhi for Belgium on March 30 to attend India-EU Summit. Then he will travel to Washington for Nuclear Security Summit before leaving for the much awaited Riyadh visit.