New Delhi: In a special gesture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plane entered Saudi Arabia’s F-15 jet on Tuesday, officials said, as it entered Gulf state airspace on Tuesday. Modi is on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA) also released a videotape introducing the Saudi jet accompanying Modi’s plane.
The gesture was seen as deepening defense cooperation between the two countries. Modi said on Tuesday that India and Saudi Arabia have a natural interest in maintaining peace and stability in the region, and that defense and security cooperation between the two countries continues to grow, reflecting a deep shared trust.
#watch |In a special gesture, fighter escorts from Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, plane entered Saudi airspace for Jeddah. pic.twitter.com/vhzxd6ir5p– ani (@ani) April 22, 2025
In an interview with Arab News before he arrived in Jeddah, Modi described Saudi Arabia as “one of India’s most valuable partners, sea neighbors, trusted friends and strategic allies.”
“We believe that Saudi Arabia is a force for active and stable in the region. With its maritime neighbors, India and Saudi Arabia have natural interests in maintaining peace and stability in the region,” he said.
“The growing participation and cooperation between the two countries in defense and security is a reflection of deep mutual trust,” he said. “It also demonstrates our shared commitment to regional stability and our shared determination to jointly address the evolving challenges in the extended community.”
In a speech Tuesday night, Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are expected to focus on improving the defense bond rather than strengthening the participation of many other key sectors.
