Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], February 3 (ANI): National Security Adviser Ajit Doval arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday 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.
The visit follows Saudi Arabia’s condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack and the terror incident near the Red Fort in New Delhi earlier this year. On January 28, both countries reiterated their strong opposition to terrorism in all its forms during the third meeting of the India–Saudi Arabia Security Working Group under the Political, Consular and Security Cooperation Committee of the Strategic Partnership Council.
The meeting, held in Riyadh, was co-chaired by Vinod Bahade, Joint Secretary for Counter Terrorism at India’s Ministry of External Affairs, and Ahmed Al-Eissa, Director General of Legal Affairs and International Cooperation at the Saudi Ministry of Interior, according to an MEA statement.
Both sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism, and denounced the terrorist attack on civilians in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, as well as the terror incident near the Red Fort in New Delhi on November 10, 2025.
The discussions included a comprehensive review of ongoing security cooperation and an exchange of views on threats posed by terrorist groups globally and in their respective regions. The two sides also discussed enhancing cooperation to address current and emerging challenges in counterterrorism, including countering extremism and radicalization, combating terrorist financing, preventing the misuse of technology for terrorist purposes, and addressing the nexus between transnational organized crime and terrorism.
The meeting also focused on measures to further strengthen bilateral legal, judicial, and law enforcement cooperation. It was agreed that the next meeting of the Security Working Group would be held in India on a mutually convenient date.
Earlier, on January 22, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Secretary (South) Neena Malhotra met resident ambassadors of Arab countries to review ongoing cooperation between India and Arab nations and to prepare for forthcoming engagements.
In a post on X, the MEA said the meeting also identified specific focus areas and activities across diverse sectors to further advance the partnership between India and the Arab countries.
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