Jaishankar Exchanges Notes On Afghanistan, Strategic Ties With Saudi Counterpart

Union external affairs minister S Jaishankar on Sunday met with his Saudi Arabian counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud in New Delhi during the latter’s maiden visit to India.

The two leaders exchanges notes on the evolving situation in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover, the Gulf and the Indo-Pacific region and collaboration in the two nation’s fight against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

S Jaishankar also urged Al Saud to resume direct flights between India and Saudi Arabia, which remains suspended owing to the pandemic.

The two ministers also reviewed the implementation of the Strategic Partnership Council Agreement, signed between India and saudi Arabia during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Gulf nation in October 2019.

Officials of the Union ministry of external affairs familiar with the minutes of the meeting said the delegates led by the two leaders held discussions on steps to strengthen their partnership in trade, investment, energy, defence, security, culture, consular issues, healthcare and human resources.