In a mention, PM Modi also assumed the significance as Pakistan has been terming the move “India’s unilateral and illegal actions of August 5”
Riyadh: On Tuesday Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his visit to Saudi Arabia during which he held extensive talks with the top Saudi leadership and addressed a key financial forum here.
PM Narendra Modi arrived in Riyadh on Monday night, held wide-ranging talks with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, during which a Strategic Partnership Council was established to coordinate on important Key issues.
A memorandum of understanding was also signed to roll out RuPay card in the Kingdom is making Saudi Arabia the third country in the Persian Gulf after the UAE and Bahrain to introduce India’s digital payment system.
External Affairs Minister spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “Leaving with a marked upswing in bilateral relations. PM Narendra Modi departs from Riyadh after steering the India-Saudi relationship on an upward trajectory pointing towards greater collaboration in the future.”
In a mention, PM Modi also assumed the significance as Pakistan has been terming the move “India’s unilateral and illegal actions of August 5”. India has clarified that the move had no bearing on the status of the LoC and it was willing to discuss that with Pakistan based on the Simla Agreement and Lahore Declaration in a bilateral manner without any third-party mediation.
According to the sources important to note that Kashmir was not mentioned in PM Modi’s meeting with King Salman, in private conversation. But post the PM’s speech at FII, there was a meeting and dinner engagement with the crown prince Mohammed bin Salman as well.
In a joint statement, it was said “the need for the international community to fulfill its responsibilities towards preventing any attacks on the sovereignty of States”. Pakistan had also got its support from China to take up the issue of Kashmir at the UNSC on August 16 in “closed consultations”, days after the move on Kashmir was explained by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to his counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing.
Though out of the discussion room in New York, as India is not currently a UNSC member, it worked in the background to get 14 of the 15 countries to be on its side. However, PM Modi used the FII 2019 platform to hit out at the UN as well. PM Modi said the UN has been “used as an instrument by the powerful” and had failed in playing the role of a neutral, global, rules-based organization”.
As an independent media platform, we do not take advertisements from governments and corporate houses. It is you, our readers, who have supported us on our journey to do honest and unbiased journalism. Please contribute, so that we can continue to do the same in future.
