Prime Minister Narendra Modi held delegation-level talks with the Crown Prince and Saudi Arabian Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on April 23, 2025 in Jeddah. Image source: ANI
According to a joint statement issued on Wednesday (April 23, 2025), India has agreed to cooperate with Saudi Arabia to improve the stability of the global oil market and balance global energy market dynamics.
The statement came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Saudi Arabia, after terrorist attacks in Pahalgam in Kashmir, terrorists killed 26 people, mainly tourists.
PM Modi in Saudi Arabia broadcast live April 22, 2025
“India agreed to work with the Kingdom to improve the stability of the global oil market and balance global energy market dynamics. They stressed the need to ensure the security of all energy supply in the global market. They agreed unanimously the importance of strengthening cooperation in multiple areas of the energy sector, including the supply of crude oil and its derivatives,” the joint statement.
The two sides stressed the importance of cooperation in the fields of green and clean hydrogen, including stimulating demand, developing hydrogen transport and storage technologies, and exchanging expertise and experience to implement best practices.
“The parties also acknowledge the need to develop supply chains and projects related to the energy sector, thereby enabling cooperation between companies, enhancing cooperation in the field of energy efficiency and rationalizing energy consumption in the buildings, industry and transportation sectors and raising awareness of its importance,” the statement said.
With regard to climate change, both sides reaffirmed the importance of complying with the principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement and needed to establish and implement climate agreements with a focus on emissions rather than sources.
“The Indian side commented the Kingdom’s launch of the ‘Saudi Green Initiative’ and the ‘Middle East Green Initiative’ and expressed its support for the kingdom’s efforts in the field of climate change. The two sides stressed the importance of joint cooperation to develop applications of the circular carbon economy by promoting policies that use the circular carbon economy as a tool to manage emissions and achieve climate change objectives,” the joint statement said.
This is Modi’s third visit to Saudi Arabia. This is the first meeting of the India-Sudya Arab Strategic Partnership Committee after Mohammed bin Salman visited India’s crown prince in September 2023, attending the G-20 summit and co-chair.
The two sides emphasized the importance of cooperation in technology, including in new and emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, semiconductors, etc. Emphasizing the importance of digital governance, both sides agreed to explore collaboration in this field.
“They are also satisfied with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Indian Telecommunications Regulatory Authority’s Communications, Space and Technical Commission between the regulatory and digital sector cooperation.
“The two sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation in the tourism industry, including through capacity-building and sustainable tourism. They also noted the expansion of opportunities in the media, entertainment and sports, supported by a strong human-to-person relationship between the two countries,” the statement said.
Both sides affirmed their full support for international and regional efforts aimed at achieving a comprehensive political solution to the Yemen crisis.
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“Indian side appreciates many of Saudi initiatives aimed at encouraging dialogue among Yemeni political parties and its role in providing humanitarian assistance to all regions of Yemen. Saudi side also appreciates India’s efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to Yemen.
“The two sides agreed to the importance of cooperation in a way that promotes the security and security freedom of waterways are consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” it said.
publishing – April 23, 2025 at 10:06 pm IST
