During the meeting, ministers warmly welcomed the US proposal aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza and praised the successful outcomes of the Munich Security Conference held in AlUla.

The cabinet underscored its strong commitment to supporting peaceful resolutions in the occupied Palestinian territories, applauding the steps proposed by US President Donald Trump to ensure the release of all hostages and initiate immediate negotiations for practical implementation.

This demonstrates Saudi Arabia’s dedication to constructive dialogue, humanitarian initiatives, and promoting stability in the region.

Minister of Media Salman bin Youssef Al-Dosari stated that the cabinet commended the achievements of the Munich Security Conference leaders’ meeting in AlUla, emphasizing the Kingdom’s role as a hub for international dialogue and cooperation.

The session brought together senior officials from multiple countries, allowing for productive discussions on regional developments and global issues including food security, climate change, energy, international trade, and economic collaboration.

The cabinet also highlighted the remarkable progress made in cybersecurity cooperation among Arab nations.

The outcomes of the second regular session of the Council of Arab Cybersecurity Ministers, hosted by Saudi Arabia, were lauded for advancing regional collaboration in creating a safe, reliable, and digitally secure environment that supports economic growth and prosperity.

Additionally, the session praised the achievements of the fifth International Cybersecurity Forum held in Riyadh under the patronage of King Salman, noting its success in fostering innovation, technological excellence, and international partnerships in cybersecurity.

Through this session, Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its position as a proactive and responsible leader in regional peace initiatives, international diplomacy, and digital advancement.

By championing collaboration, humanitarian efforts, and technological progress, the Kingdom continues to contribute positively to stability, growth, and prosperity in the region and beyond.

The visit, marked by high-level meetings and landmark policy shifts, has been described by Mohammed Alhamed, Founder and President of the Saudi Elite Group, as a reaffirmation of the Kingdom’s position as the “Capital of Global Peace.”

“This visit rebuilds a true commitment between these two allies,” Alhamed said, highlighting the potential for renewed cooperation in defense, security, and economic development. “It continues the joint mission of making the world a safer place,” he added.

Among the most significant outcomes of the visit is the reported removal of U.S. sanctions on Syria, a move made following a special request by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. If confirmed, this would signal a dramatic shift in U.S. foreign policy in the region, reflecting Riyadh’s increasing influence in shaping regional stability.

The visit also reaffirmed the Kingdom’s ambitious investment strategy, with $600 billion earmarked for American products and industries, spanning defense, healthcare, energy, technology, infrastructure, and even sports. These investments are expected to generate thousands of jobs on both sides and deepen economic interdependence between the two nations.

Trump’s reception in Riyadh, complete with ceremonial grandeur and strategic substance, mirrors the significance Saudi Arabia places on its relationship with the United States. It also reflects the Kingdom’s broader vision of regional diplomacy—one that emphasizes economic partnership, peace-building, and pragmatic diplomacy.

For Washington, the renewed engagement signals a return to trusted allies in the Gulf, while for Riyadh, it’s a clear sign of global recognition of its central role in international affairs.

As Alhamed noted, this visit doesn’t just signal the strengthening of bilateral ties—it may well mark the beginning of a new era of strategic equilibrium in the Middle East.

Choosing Jeddah wasn’t random—it’s a strategic signal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day trip to Saudi Arabia in April 2025 is more than just a diplomatic formality—it’s a pivotal moment in India’s West Asia strategy. What makes it even more significant is that Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister in over 40 years to visit Jeddah, the commercial heart of Saudi Arabia and a key gateway to Islam’s holiest cities. This move is loaded with both symbolic and strategic meaning, reflecting how India is reshaping its foreign policy priorities and deepening its bond with a critical regional partner.

Modi’s earlier visits to Saudi Arabia—in 2016 and 2019—took him to Riyadh, the political capital. But this time, the focus is on Jeddah. This city isn’t just an economic hub; it’s deeply tied to the spiritual journeys of millions of Muslims, including the vast number of Indian pilgrims who pass through its port on their way to Mecca and Medina. The last time an Indian PM visited Jeddah was Indira Gandhi in 1982, so Modi’s presence there ends a 43-year gap and sends a clear message: India is engaging with Saudi Arabia not just diplomatically, but culturally and historically too.

Why Jeddah?

Choosing Jeddah wasn’t random—it’s a strategic signal. Located along the Red Sea, Jeddah is crucial to Saudi Arabia’s trade and plays a key role in the Kingdom’s ambitious Vision 2030 economic diversification plan. By choosing to visit this city, Modi is aligning India’s long-term goals with Saudi Arabia’s, making it clear that India wants to be more than a customer for oil—it wants to be a partner in the Kingdom’s transformation.

Strategic Partnership Council: Moving from Talk to Action

A major highlight of this visit is the third meeting of the India-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council (SPC), co-chaired by Modi and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). Since it was launched in 2019, the SPC has helped turn friendly ties into structured cooperation, operating across two main tracks: political-security-cultural and economy-investment.

This isn’t just about reviewing progress—it’s about launching new initiatives. Key areas on the agenda include green hydrogen, supply chains for critical minerals, defence manufacturing, and digital infrastructure. Both India and Saudi Arabia are economic powerhouses in the Global South and are members of the G20. Their partnership is increasingly relevant not just for regional affairs but on the world stage.

Defence Relations: No Longer Just for Show

One of the most striking shifts in India-Saudi relations is happening in the defence sector. What used to be limited to polite visits and symbolic gestures has transformed into meaningful military cooperation.

Take 2024, for example. That’s when the two countries held their first joint land military exercise, Sada Tanseeq, in Rajasthan. That same year, they also conducted a second edition of the naval drill, Al Mohed Al Hindi. Even more notable, in February 2024, India and Saudi Arabia signed their first-ever defence contract—a $225 million deal for artillery shells, involving India’s state-run Munitions India Limited (MIL). This deal included the export of advanced 155mm towed artillery guns.

These developments fit well with the broader vision on both sides. India’s “Make in India” push complements Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which includes reducing dependency on Western arms suppliers by building up local defence industries. The partnership now extends beyond just equipment—it includes training, exchanges between military colleges, and high-level defence talks. In a region marked by tension and instability, especially around the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, this evolving defence cooperation marks India as a serious and steady strategic partner.

Energy: From Oil to Green Hydrogen

Energy is still the bedrock of India-Saudi ties, but the way both countries are approaching it is changing. While oil trade continues as a major pillar, there’s a big push toward green energy, especially green hydrogen.

During this visit, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on green hydrogen is expected. This makes perfect sense—Saudi Arabia has vast solar energy potential, while India brings technological expertise and policy support for renewables. Together, they can lead the charge in clean energy innovation.

This collaboration isn’t just about national interests. It also helps both nations contribute to global climate action goals and cushions them against the volatility of traditional energy markets, especially with growing geopolitical tensions affecting global supply.

The Indian Community: A Vital Human Link

One of the strongest and most human dimensions of India-Saudi relations is the Indian diaspora. About 2.7 million Indians live and work in Saudi Arabia, making it one of the largest overseas Indian communities anywhere in the world. They’re not just workers—they’re a vital part of Saudi society and contribute significantly to India through remittances.

Modi plans to visit a Jeddah factory that employs Indian workers—a gesture that goes beyond symbolism. It’s a way of recognizing the role of Indians in building Saudi Arabia’s economy and underlining India’s commitment to its citizens abroad.

But there are also tough conversations to be had. Nearly a quarter of all Indian prisoners abroad are in Saudi Arabia. Although some agreements exist for prisoner transfers, very few have actually been repatriated. Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed this issue would be “high on the agenda.” Making progress here could boost Modi’s domestic image and showcase a foreign policy that values human dignity alongside strategic interests.

A Region in Flux

Modi’s visit is happening against a backdrop of regional unrest. The Israel-Palestine conflict remains unresolved and increasingly volatile. Meanwhile, Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are putting global shipping routes at risk. These developments concern both India and Saudi Arabia—not only as regional stakeholders but as key players in global trade and energy supply chains.

Both Modi and MBS have built relationships with powerful global figures—U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky among them. This ability to maintain ties across a polarized international arena gives their partnership a unique edge, especially as the Global South looks for new leadership on issues like climate finance, economic justice, and peacebuilding.

The Bigger Gulf Picture: Revisiting the FTA

Another topic expected to come up is the long-discussed India-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Free Trade Agreement. The GCC—comprising Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman—is a vital trade and energy region for India. An FTA would mean lower tariffs, better access to markets, and smoother labour mobility.

Negotiating such a deal is crucial as global trade dynamics shift post-pandemic and amid ongoing global tensions. For India, it’s about diversifying economic relationships and securing its trade routes—especially through a region where millions of Indians live and work.

More Than Optics

In essence, PM Modi’s 2025 Saudi Arabia visit isn’t just another stop on the diplomatic calendar. It’s a strategic recalibration that touches nearly every major aspect of India’s global ambitions—security, energy, trade, and people-to-people ties.

It signals that India and Saudi Arabia are stepping into a more mature, multifaceted relationship. What once revolved around oil and labor is now about mutual growth, resilience, and global impact. As the world becomes more unpredictable, partnerships like this—rooted in shared goals and diversified interests—could help shape a more stable and balanced international order.

Brent futures dipped 14 cents, or 0.2%, to $79.32 a barrel by 0001 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 15 cents to $75.20 a barrel.

Strength in the U.S. dollar index (.DXY) weighed on prices. The dollar bounced on Wednesday after sentiment was boosted by inflation in the United Kingdom falling more than expected in June to its slowest pace in more than a year at 7.9%.

A stronger greenback makes crude more expensive for investors holding other currencies.

Also weighing on sentiment, U.S. crude inventories fell by 708,000 barrels in the last week to 457.4 million barrels, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a drop of 2.4 million barrels, Energy Information Administration data showed on Wednesday.

On the demand side, the market is waiting to see what steps China takes to boost growth after its top economic planner pledged on Tuesday to roll out policies to “restore and expand” consumption in the world’s second-largest economy.

Below are key extracts from the G7 climate, energy and environment ministers’ communique, including the annex.

Russia

“We condemn Russia’s illegal, unjustifiable, and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine;

“We stand ready to support the sustainable and resilient recovery and green reconstruction of Ukraine.”

Gas Investments

“Recognising the primary need to accelerate the clean energy transition through energy savings and gas demand reduction, investment in the gas sector can be appropriate to help address potential market shortfalls provoked by the crisis, subject to clearly defined national circumstances, and if implemented in a manner consistent with our climate objectives and without creating lock-in effects, for example by ensuring that projects are integrated into national strategies for the development of low-carbon and renewable hydrogen.”

Renewable Energy

“The G7 contributes to expanding renewable energy globally and bringing down costs by strengthening capacity including through a collective increase in offshore wind capacity of 150 gigawatt by 2030 based on each country’s existing targets and a collective increase of solar (photovoltaic) to more than 1 terawatt by 2030.”

Coal – Fired Plants

“(We) reaffirm our commitment to achieving a fully or predominantly decarbonised power sector by 2035, and prioritising concrete and timely steps towards the goal of accelerating the phase-out of domestic unabated coal power generation in a manner consistent with keeping a limit of 1.5°C temperature rise;

“We call on and will work with other countries to end new unabated coal-fired power generation projects globally as soon as possible to accelerate the clean energy transition in a just manner.”

Hydrogen And Ammonia

“We recognise low-carbon and renewable hydrogen and its derivatives such as ammonia should be developed and used where they are impactful as effective emission reduction tools to advance decarbonisation across sectors and industries, notably in hard-to-abate sectors in industry and transportation.

“We also note that some countries are exploring the use of low-carbon and renewable hydrogen and its derivatives in the power sector to work towards zero-emission thermal power generation if this can be aligned with a 1.5°C pathway and our collective goal for a fully or predominantly decarbonised power sector by 2035.”

Critical Minerals

“We reaffirm the growing importance of critical minerals for the clean energy transition and the need to prevent economic and security risks caused by vulnerable supply chains, monopolisation, lack of diversification of existing suppliers of critical minerals;

“We are fully committed to maintain products containing critical minerals and raw materials in the economy as long as possible;

“We emphasise the importance of countering geopolitical risks, including with respect to critical minerals, for the clean energy transition.

“We boost up developing new mines and supply chains for critical minerals in a responsible manner that promotes transparency and traceability to meet the rising demand.

“Currently $13 billion fiscal support that can be used for domestic and foreign projects is prepared across the G7 countries.”

Phasing Out Unabated Fossil Fuels

“We underline our commitment, in the context of a global effort, to accelerate the phase-out of unabated fossil fuels so as to achieve net zero in energy systems by 2050 at the latest;

“We stress that fossil fuel subsidies are inconsistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement.”

Nuclear Energy

“Those countries that opt to use nuclear energy recognise its potential to provide affordable low-carbon energy that can reduce dependence on fossil fuels;

“They also commit to support the development and construction of nuclear reactors, such as small modular and other advanced reactors with advanced safety systems in line with (International Atomic Energy Agency) safety standards.”

Plastic Pollution

“We are committed to end plastic pollution, with the ambition to reduce additional plastic pollution to zero by 2040.”

Transportation

“We reaffirm our commitment to a highly decarbonised road sector by 2030;

“We recognise the range of pathways that G7- and beyond-G7 members are adopting to approach this goal. We are committed to the goal of achieving net-zero emissions in the road sector by 2050, and underline that a transition over the coming decade to infrastructure and a vehicle fleet that supports zero emissions transport is critical.”

“We highlight the various actions that each of us is taking to decarbonise our vehicle fleet, including such domestic policies that are designed to achieve 100% or the overwhelming penetration of sales of light duty vehicles (LDVs) as zero emission vehicles (ZEV) by 2035 and beyond; to achieve 100 percent electrified vehicles in new passenger car sales by 2035.”

“We note the opportunity to collectively reduce by at least 50%, CO2 emissions from G7 vehicle stock by 2035 or earlier relative to the level in 2000 as a halfway point to achieving net zero.”

Beirut (France24) — Lebanon and Israel have signed a historic agreement demarcating a long-disputed maritime border after years of US-mediated negotiations, paving the way for Lebanon to exploit the energy resources off its coast. However, analysts point out that Lebanon lacks the infrastructure and governance for a rapid shift to becoming an oil-exporting nation, so the deal is unlikely to offset the nation’s economic and social crises in the short term.

Europe’s lithium extraction and production projects have been mostly undertaken by small and medium-scale companies across the continent.

With the EU committed to making electric vehicles widely available by 2035, the demand for metals required to produce batteries, particularly lithium, is expected to explode. The market is currently dominated by a handful of countries, but Europe wants to join the club by exploiting its subsoil.