An Indian diplomat described the defense cooperation between Riyadh and New Delhi as a fundamental pillar of the Saudi-Indian strategic partnership.

Dr. Suhail Ijaz Khan, the Indian Ambassador in Riyadh, told Al Arabiya.net that joint military cooperation reflects the trust between the two countries, alongside their shared commitment to supporting maritime navigation security and security and stability in the region.

He noted that Saudi-Indian defense cooperation has broad future prospects in the areas of defense exchange, maritime security, training, capacity building, modern technologies, defense industries, and military exports, pointing out that both sides are working closely to achieve these goals.

At the same time, Saudi Arabia and India coordinate jointly to avoid the effects of regional disturbances and their repercussions on energy and fertilizer supplies, according to the Indian diplomat.

Saudi Arabia and India have crowned their relations, ongoing for more than 75 years, with the level of strategic partnership in various fields.

Diplomatic relations began in 1947 after India's independence, while the two countries have doubled the momentum of cooperation in the sectors of energy, space, tourism, and pharmaceuticals.

In the same context, the Indian Ambassador in Riyadh stressed that his country and Saudi Arabia enjoy a strong and mature strategic partnership based on civilizational and commercial ties spanning centuries.

Indian diplomat Suhail Ijaz Khan believes that bilateral political coordination has witnessed remarkable momentum over the past decade, supported by regular high-level visits and close consultation on regional and international issues of common interest.

Suhail Ijaz Khan - Ambassador of India to Saudi Arabia

Expanding the level of partnership

Against the historical context of bilateral relations, the Strategic Partnership Council between the two countries, chaired by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, alongside Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, stands out, as it provides a strategic framework for cooperation in a wide range of areas, including political affairs, defense, security, trade, investment, energy, technology, education, culture, and people-to-people exchange.

A meeting bringing together Prince Mohammed bin Salman with Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, in Riyadh last year

The past year witnessed the expansion of the Saudi-Indian Strategic Partnership Council to include four ministerial committees, reflecting the deepening of the strategic partnership between the two countries, through the addition of a ministerial committee for defense cooperation and a ministerial committee for cooperation in tourism and culture.

Growth of the business portfolio

The partnership between Saudi Arabia and India is no longer limited to energy and trade; the two countries have expanded their business portfolio into areas including: renewable energy, green hydrogen, artificial intelligence, digital technologies, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, logistics services, mining, financial technologies, space cooperation, and defense industries.

Saudi Arabia and India: A partnership beyond energy

Economically, the Indian Ambassador, Dr. Suhail Ijaz Khan, stressed in his interview with Al Arabiya.net that Saudi Arabia is one of India's most reliable energy partners, as it provided about 13.58% of India's crude oil imports and nearly 15% of its liquefied petroleum gas imports in the fiscal year 2024–2025.

Plans to establish two refineries

Al Arabiya.net asked the Indian ambassador about the joint plans between Riyadh and New Delhi to establish two new oil refineries in India. Ijaz Khan said that the agreement to cooperate in establishing two joint refineries is an important step in developing the partnership in the energy sector, moving beyond the traditional supplier-consumer relationship to long-term strategic cooperation.

He affirmed the two countries' desire to expand cooperation to include, alongside crude oil and refining, strategic oil reserves, petrochemicals, renewable energy, electrical interconnection, grid automation, energy storage technologies, and innovative uses of hydrocarbons, reflecting their shared vision of building a diversified and resilient energy partnership.

Advertising material

Advertising material