India may raise cross-border terror with Saudi Crown Prince during Delhi visit

India and Saudi Arabia were expected to issue a strong statement on terrorism after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, sources said, as the Crown Prince prepared to travel from Islamabad to New Delhi. The visit came days after the Pulwama attack, in which more than 40 CRPF personnel were killed, and as India stepped up efforts to isolate Pakistan.

The Islamabad statement

A joint statement issued in Islamabad on Monday praised Pakistan’s efforts for regional peace and the openness of Prime Minister Imran Khan towards dialogue with India. Saudi Arabia pledged to help de-escalate tensions, and the two sides said dialogue was the only way to resolve outstanding issues. They also spoke of avoiding the politicisation of UN listing procedures, an apparent reference to India’s push to have Jaish chief Masood Azhar designated a global terrorist. Jaish had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack.

India has rejected talks with Islamabad until cross-border terrorism ends. Sources said India had a strong and independent relationship with Riyadh and that it was Pakistan, not India, that should feel insecure.

What is on the table

The Crown Prince, known as MBS, was due to arrive with ministers and a large business delegation after his two-day Pakistan visit and to hold bilateral talks with Modi on Wednesday. Senior foreign ministry official TS Tirumurti was quoted by PTI as saying India was one of eight key partners with which Saudi Arabia planned to expand ties in security, trade, investment and culture. A Strategic Partnership Council at ministerial level, joint naval exercises and wider defence cooperation were expected.

The visit came about three years after Modi went to Riyadh in 2016, when the two countries signed an agreement on sharing intelligence on money laundering and terror financing.

Saudi ties with Pakistan

Saudi Arabia signed investment deals with Pakistan during the visit. Last October it offered Pakistan a $6 billion loan, and it also unveiled a $10 billion project for a refinery and petrochemicals plant at Gwadar, where China is building a port. From India, the Crown Prince was to go on to China. His tour came five months after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

See also: election news.

Originally published on 19 February 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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