Saudi supports India on sovereignty connected with regional connectivity projects

NEW DELHI: The joint statement issued at the end of Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman’s India visit made a veiled reference to China’s regional connectivity initiatives, stressing on the need to respect international laws, sovereignty and territorial integrity of states in such projects.
The statement, issued on late Wednesday, just before he travelled to Beijing in his three-nation trip that started from Pakistan, is seen as Riyadh’s endorsement of New Delhi’s stand on the issue.

One of China’s key connectivity projects, the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which is a concern for India.

New Delhi also sees the Belt and Road Initiative as part of Beijing’s expansionist strategy that could hurt India’s interests in the region.“With regards to regional connectivity projects, both sides agreed that they should be based on international law, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of states," read the statement.

Defence partnership is an evolving area of cooperation between New Delhi and Riyadh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Crown Prince Salman welcomed recent developments in India-Saudi cooperation in the defence sector, particularly in the fields of exchange of expertise and training. In this context, they welcomed the outcomes of the Fourth Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation held in Riyadh on January 2-3.

The two sides agreed to hold the inaugural joint naval exercises at the earliest and to further expand bilateral exercises in other domains. They also agreed to cooperate and collaborate in joint production of spare parts for naval and land systems as well as supply chain development, in line with the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Vision 2030’ programmes. With Saudi Arabia eyeing a role in the Indian Ocean Region, where India is a traditional power, the two sides agreed to work together with other Indian Ocean Rim Countries for enhancing maritime security.