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'Need to ensure freedom of navigation': PM Modi speaks with Saudi crown prince
PM Modi said that during the call, he reiterated that India condemns attacks on energy infrastructure of the West Asia region.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Saturday agreed on ensuring freedom of navigation and keeping shipping lines open during a phone conversation focused on the West Asia conflict.
This was the second phone call between the two leaders since Israel and the US's military strikes on Iran triggered the conflict on February 28. Modi has spoken to the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, Iran, and Israel to call for de-escalation and restoration of key supply chains, and to ensure the well-being of 10 million Indians living in West Asia.
Modi said on social media that he and the Saudi Crown Prince discussed the ongoing conflict in West Asia. “We agreed on the need to ensure freedom of navigation and keeping shipping lines open and secure,” he said.
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He reiterated India’s “condemnation of attacks on regional energy infrastructure” and thanked the Saudi leader for his continued support for the welfare of the Indian community in the kingdom.
The Indian government's outreach to the leadership of Iran and the West Asian states has focused on ensuring safe passage for Indian-flagged merchant vessels and tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, especially in view of the disruption of energy supplies because of the closure of the critical waterway that is used to transport 50% of the country’s oil imports.
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Saudi Arabia is home to nearly four million Indians, and one Indian national was recently killed in drone and missile attacks on Riyadh.
The phone call between the two leaders came a day after external affairs minister S Jaishankar met his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan on the margins of a G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in France on Friday. The ministers discussed the situation in West Asia and reviewed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen ties in various fields.
