PM Modi’s Visit to Saudi Arabia (April 22–23, 2025) What to Expect?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Saudi Arabia on April 22–23, 2025, marking his first trip to the Kingdom during his third term in office. The visit is expected to significantly boost India-Saudi Arabia relations across sectors like trade, energy, defence, and strategic connectivity. Modi will meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah. The visit comes at a crucial time when West Asia is dealing with geopolitical instability, and both nations aim to strengthen cooperation through multilateral initiatives such as the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEEC).

Key Focus Areas of the Visit

1. Strategic Dialogue and Diplomacy

• Modi to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah.
• Visit comes ahead of US President Donald Trump’s scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia in May 2025.
• Saudi Arabia is playing a diplomatic role in US-Russia-Ukraine talks.
• India keen to discuss regional stability, especially in light of Houthi disruptions in the Red Sea.

2. IMEEC (India-Middle East-Europe Corridor)

• Reviving and reviewing progress on IMEEC, which aims to connect India to Europe via the Middle East.
• IMEEC was affected by Hamas’s attacks on Israel in October 2023 and the Gaza conflict.
• Saudi Arabia is a crucial partner in this corridor project.
• India sees this as a counterbalance to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

3. Energy Cooperation

• Saudi Arabia is India’s third-largest supplier of crude oil and LPG.

2023–24 data

• Crude Oil: 33.35 MMT, accounting for 14.3% of India’s crude imports.
• LPG: 18.2% of India’s total LPG imports.
• India seeks better pricing and long-term energy security through this engagement.

4. Trade and Investment

Bilateral trade in 2023–24

• Total: USD 42.98 billion
• Indian exports: USD 11.56 billion
• Imports (mainly oil): USD 31.42 billion
• India: 2nd largest trading partner of Saudi Arabia.
• Saudi Arabia: 5th largest trading partner of India.

Investment trends

• Indian investments in Saudi Arabia: ~USD 3 billion (as of August 2023).
• Saudi investments in India: ~USD 10 billion.

5. Defence and Security Cooperation

• Growing collaboration in defence industries, naval cooperation, and training.

Key milestone

• In February 2024, MoS (Defence) Ajay Bhatt visited Riyadh for the World Defence Show—first such visit in 12+ years.
• Naval exercise ‘Al Mohed Al Hindi’: Two editions held so far.
• Emphasis on maritime security and capacity building.