A joint statement was issued on Sunday on the visit by Prime Minister of the Republic of India Shri Narendra Modi to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 2-3 April 2016. Following is its text: 1. At the invitation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, Shri Narendra Modi paid a two-day official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 2-3 April 2016. 2. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques received Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 3 April at the Royal Court. The two leaders held discussions in the spirit of the strong friendship that binds the two countries and their peoples. During the visit, Prime Minister Modi also met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz AlSaud, the Deputy Premier & Minister of Interior, and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Second Deputy Premier & Minister of Defence. Prime Minister Modi also met a number of ministers and senior officials. 3. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prime Minister Modi exchanged views on bilateral, regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest. The two leaders underlined the close and friendly bilateral ties, deeprooted in shared history and sustained and nourished through growing economic partnership, multifaceted cooperation and vibrant people to people contacts. The wideranging and constructive discussions were held in a cordial atmosphere and enabled better understanding and appreciation of each other's concerns and perspectives, recognizing the close interlinkage of the stability and security of the Gulf region and the Indian subcontinent and the need for maintaining a secure and peaceful environment for the development of the countries of the region. 4. Both leaders expressed appreciation for the successful transformation of bilateral relationship in political, economic, security, defence, manpower and people to people exchanges, in recent years, which have enriched bilateral ties. They expressed satisfaction at the regular exchange of highlevel visits between the two countries, underlining that the Delhi Declaration (2006) and the Riyadh Declaration (2010) elevated the mutually beneficial bilateral relations to the level of 'Strategic Partnership'. --More
