National Security Advisor Ajit Doval visited Saudi Arabia and held high-level meetings with the kingdom’s top leadership to discuss bilateral ties, regional developments, energy cooperation and issues of mutual interest, as India steps up outreach to key partners amid tensions in West Asia.
Doval, who reached Riyadh on Sunday, was received at the airport by India’s Ambassador Suhel Khan and Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Saud Al-Sati.
During the visit, Doval met Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman and National Security Advisor Musaed Al-Aiban.
“During the meetings they discussed bilateral relations, regional situation and other issues of mutual interest,” the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said in a post on X.
The Saudi Press Agency said Faisal bin Farhan and Doval “reviewed areas of cooperation and discussed the latest regional developments”.
Doval’s visit comes amid heightened diplomatic activity linked to the West Asia conflict and concerns over energy supplies following disruptions caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The trip also follows recent visits by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to the United Arab Emirates and Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri to Qatar, reflecting New Delhi’s engagement with major energy suppliers in the region.
Saudi Arabia remains among India’s top three energy suppliers, alongside Russia and Iraq, and is home to around four million Indians.
India has consistently called for the safe and unimpeded passage of merchant shipping in the region and has backed dialogue and diplomacy to end hostilities.