PM Modi holds talks with Saudi Crown Prince, trade and defence ties on agenda

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held wide-ranging talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, focussing on shoring up bilateral trade and defence ties.Bin Salman is currently on a State visit to India following end of the G20 Summit.Ahead of the talks, the Crown Prince was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan."I am very glad to be here in India. I want to congratulate India for the G20 Summit," Bin Salman told reporters after the ceremonial welcome.The Saudi leader said the announcements made at the summit will benefit the world."We will work together to create a great future for both the countries," he said.Saudi Arabia is one of India's key strategic partners in the Middle-East.The overall relations between the two countries have witnessed a significant upward trajectory in the last few years.The two sides have also been focusing on strengthening their defence and security partnership.The then Chief of Army Staff Gen MM Naravane visited Saudi Arabia in December 2020 in the first-ever visit by a head of the 1.3 million-strong Army to the important Gulf nation.Since then, there have been series of visits of high-ranking military officials between the two sides.