New Delhi [India], April 23 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman co-chaired the second meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council (SPC) in Jeddah on Tuesday, an official press release by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated.

However, in light of a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, the Prime Minister departed early from Saudi Arabia, cutting short his state visit and cancelling a scheduled official dinner.

During the Council meeting, the leaders reviewed the extensive progress made across political, defence, trade, energy, technology, agriculture, and people-to-people exchanges. They signed the official minutes of the session, underscoring mutual commitment to strengthening cooperation under the SPC framework.

Reflecting the expanding defence ties - including joint military exercises, training programs, and collaboration in the defence industry - the leaders announced the creation of a new Ministerial Committee on Defence Cooperation. Additionally, recognising the increasing cultural and social engagement between the two nations, the Council established a new Ministerial Committee on Tourism and Cultural Cooperation.

The SPC will now function through four key committees: Political, Consular and Security Cooperation; Defence Cooperation; Economy, Energy, Investment and Technology; and Tourism and Cultural Cooperation. These structural updates point to the deepening and diversifying nature of the India-Saudi relationship, the press release stated.

On the economic front, the High-Level Task Force on Investment (HLTF) reported significant progress in advancing Saudi Arabia's pledge to invest USD 100 billion in India. The two sides agreed to jointly develop two refineries in India, with the HLTF also achieving breakthroughs on taxation matters - an important step toward enabling more seamless investment across sectors such as energy, manufacturing, fintech, and healthcare.

Despite the positive developments, Prime Minister Modi was compelled to shorten his visit following news of the terror attack in Pahalgam.

According to Government of India sources, the Prime Minister cancelled his participation in the official dinner hosted by the Saudi leadership and departed from Jeddah earlier than scheduled. (ANI)