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National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval on Tuesday arrived in Riyadh for an official visit, underscoring the growing strategic engagement between India and Saudi Arabia.
Doval was received at the airport by India's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr Suhel Ajaz Khan, and Saudi Arabia's Deputy Minister for Political Affairs, Ambassador Dr Saud Al-Sati, according to the Indian Embassy in Riyadh. On January 28, Saudi Arabia condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and the Red Fort terror incident. At the 3rd meeting of ofthe India-Saudi Arabia Security Working Group under the Political, Consular and Security Cooperation Committee of the Strategic Partnership Council, both parties condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The meeting was held on January 28 in Riyadh. The meeting was co-chaired by Vinod Bahade, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism), Ministry of External Affairs, and Ahmed Al-Eissa, Director General of Legal Affairs and International Cooperation, Ministry of Interior, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, according to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs. Both sides reiterated their condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism and the dastardly terrorist attack on innocent civilians on 22 April 2025 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and the terror incident on 10 November 2025 near Red Fort, New Delhi, as per the statement. The two sides comprehensively reviewed the ongoing security cooperation. They discussed threats posed by terrorist groups globally and in their respective regions. Both sides shared views on enhancing cooperation on current and emerging challenges in counter-terrorism, including countering extremism and radicalisation, combating the financing of terrorism, preventing the use of technology for terrorist purposes, and the nexus between transnational organised crime and terrorism. They also deliberated upon measures to further strengthen bilateral legal and judicial cooperation and law enforcement cooperation. The next meeting of the Security Working Group will be held in India on a mutually convenient date, the statement added.Earlier on January 22, Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said that Secretary (South), Neena Malhotra, met resident Ambassadors of Arab countries to review ongoing cooperation between India and the Arab countries. In a post on X, the MEA said, "Secretary (South), Dr. Neena Malhotra met resident Ambassadors of Arab countries to review ongoing cooperation between India and the Arab countries and also preparations for forthcoming meetings. They also identified specific focus areas and activities in diverse sectors to drive the partnership forward." (ANI)
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