Saudis express understanding of India’s stand on Jammu & Kashmir
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Saudi Arabia has told India that it understands “India’s approach and actions in Jammu and Kashmir”.
The Saudi stance on the issue was conveyed to India in a two-hour-long meeting between National Security Adviser Ajit Dovaland Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in Riyadh on Wednesday. This was reported by Asia News Agency (ANI).
Quoting ‘highly-placed sources’ ANI said that a wide range of issues were discussed on various aspects of bilateral relations in the meeting between Doval and the Saudi Crown Prince. “The issue of Jammu and Kashmir also figured in the discussions during which Saudi Crown Prince expressed understanding about India’s actions and appraoch in Jammu and Kashmir,” ANI quoted them as saying.India abrogated Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir on August 5 2019, and bifurcated the state into two union territories following which Pakistan has been waging a high octane campaign against India, raising the Kashmir issue at both bilateral and multilateral fora. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan had also been trying to rally the Muslim world to take action against India. He had also paid a visit to Saudi Arabia recently.
The important visit of Doval to Saudi Arabia highlights the regular and ongoing close consultations at highest levels between the two sides on issues of mutual importance, ANI reported sources as saying.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and NSA Ajit Doval have developed close ties with the Saudi leadership over the past five years which have also been credited for the closer security and intelligence cooperation between the two countries.
Sources hae also told ANI that the visit will further strengthen the deep bond between the two countries and help identify specific areas of cooperation at a time when Saudi Arabia is looking to diversify its economy in line with the crown prince’s Vision 2030. Saudi has announced that it will make investments worth nearly $100 billion in India.
“They both discussed issues of national and regional security. Both sides highlighted the importance of close security ties,” ANI quoted sources as saying.
