Riyadh/New Delhi: India and Saudi Arabia held the third meeting of Security Working Group under the Political, Consular and Security Cooperation Committee of Strategic Partnership Council in Riyadh on Wednesday, reviewing the ongoing bilateral security cooperation.
The two nations shared views on enhancing cooperation in current and emerging challenges to counter terrorism, including countering extremism and radicalisation, combatting financing of terrorism, preventing use of technology for terrorist purposes, nexus between transnational organised crime and terrorism.
The officials of India and Saudi Arabia deliberated upon measures to further deepen bilateral legal and judicial cooperation and law enforcement cooperation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated.
“Both sides reiterated their condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross border terrorism and the dastardly terrorist attack on innocent civilians on 22 April 2025 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and the terror incident on 10 November 2025 near Red Fort, New Delhi,” read a statement issued by the MEA.
The meeting was co-chaired by Vinod Bahade, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism) at the Ministry of External Affairs and Ahmed Al-Eissa, Director General of Legal Affairs and International Cooperation, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior. The next meeting of the Security Working Group will be held in India on a mutually-convenient date.
Earlier this week, the top leadership of Saudi Arabia, including King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, congratulated President Droupadi Murmu on the occasion of Republic Day.
“The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, sent a congratulatory cable to Her Excellency Droupadi Murmu, President of the Republic of India, on the occasion of her country’s Republic Day,” read a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry of Saudi Arabia.
“The King expressed his sincere congratulations and best wishes for continued health and happiness to Her Excellency, and for continued progress and prosperity to the government and people of the friendly Republic of India. He praised the distinguished relations that bind the two friendly countries, which everyone is keen to develop in all fields,” the statement added.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also sent a congratulatory cable to President Murmu on the Republic Day.
“His Highness the Crown Prince expressed his best wishes for good health and happiness to Her Excellency, and for further progress and prosperity to the government and people of the friendly Republic of India,” the Saudi MFA stated.
Last April, India and Saudi Arabia expanded their bilateral Strategic Partnership Council by adding two new ministerial committees — for defence cooperation and tourism and culture — during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State Visit to the Middle Eastern nation.
This was PM Modi’s third visit to Saudi Arabia, at the invitation of the Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. The visit, however, was cut short due to the Pahalgam terror attack.
The two leaders co-chaired the second meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council and expressed satisfaction over the deepening cooperation across various fields including defence, energy, trade, investment, technology, and education.
(IANS)
