India, Saudi Arabia to diversify ties

India and Saudi Arabia discussed ways to deepen cooperation in various areas, including trade and investment, energy security and counter-terrorism as Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Osaka. Modi appreciated that Saudi Arabia ensured a continuous supply of oil at a reasonable price in the past few months, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said after the meeting held on the sidelines of G20 Summit in Osaka.

Describing the talks as “fruitful”, Gokhale said the Crown Prince also promised that India’s Haj quota would be raised from 1,70,000 to 2,00,000 annually. They spoke about the need for greater tourism, more flights and agreed to meet again later this year, he added. India’s Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the increase was a result of Modi’s “cordial and friendly” relations with the Saudi leadership.

“This is the third hike in three years. When the Modi government came to power in 2014, India’s Hajj quota was 136,000. That has now been increased to 200,000,” he said.