Saudi Crown Prince looks for ‘good things’ from India trip

New Delhi: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a warm welcome in India on Wednesday, with Riyadh eager to demonstrate it is not an international pariah after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October.

The killing of Khashoggi, a fierce critic of the prince, at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul tarnished the image of the kingdom and the prince, who is staging a high-profile Asian tour to demonstrate he still has allies.

Prince Mohammed predicted “good things” will come out of talks with Indian leaders as he started a landmark visit to the world’s largest democracy Wednesday.

“Today we want to be sure this relationship is maintained and improved for the sake of both countries,” the crown prince said in comments to reporters after full ceremonial welcome in Delhi.

“I am sure we can create good things for Saudi Arabia and India,” he added after inspecting a guard of honour at the presidential palace.

The crown prince said the two countries were in each other’s “DNA”, highlighting the importance of Indian labour and experts in Saudi Arabia over the past 70 years as well as a longstanding Saudi presence in India.

Prince Mohammed arrived late Tuesday for a 36-hour visit that was to be dominated by economic ties. But it has risked being overshadowed by rising tensions between India and Pakistan -- where the Saudi royal was on the first leg of his Asian tour -- over a suicide attack in Kashmir.

In a special gesture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received him at airport. After he was given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the powerful Saudi leader talked about historical linkages between the two countries and stressed on expanding ties further.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday met Saudia Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and discussed ways to add further momentum to the strategic ties between the two nations besides deepening engagement in the areas of trade and investment.

After the meeting between Salman and Swaraj, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson said ways to expand strategic dimension of the ties were discussed. "EAM @SushmaSwaraj called on HRH Crown Prince of #SaudiArabia Mohammed Bin Salman. Discussed adding momentum to strategic dimension of our relationship in various fields - from trade and investment to defence & security, and regional cooperation," the spokesperson tweeted.

The attack last week left at least 40 Indian paramilitaries dead and India has blamed Pakistan, which has denied any involvement.

Saudi officials have offered to help “de-escalate tensions” between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs Adel al-Jubeir said in Islamabad on Monday that the delegation would “see if there is a path forward to resolving those differences peacefully”.

Saudi Arabia currently supplies about 20 per cent of India’s crude oil and wants to definitively push aside arch-rival Iran as a source.

Iran at one stage last year overtook Saudi Arabia among India’s suppliers but US sanctions since have severely hit the Islamic republic’s oil business.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also wooed Saudi investment in recent years for flagship infrastructure programmes.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the crown prince will leave New Delhi around 11.50 pm on Wednesday. The crown prince is expected to travel to China from India.