Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a 2-day visit to Saudi Arabia Saturday April 02,2016

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Saudi Arabia on Saturday  April 02,2016 for a two-day visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the fourth Indian Prime Minister to visit Saudi Arabia after Manmohan Singh in 2010, Indira Gandhi in 1982 and Jawaharlal Nehru in 1956

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the governer of Riyadh Faisal Bin Bandar at the Riyadh airport on Saturday April 02,2016

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was given a warm welcome at the ‘Royal Terminal’ of the Khalid International Airport with governor of Riyadh Prince Faisal bin Bandar, a key member of the Royal family, receiving him along with a number of high-ranking Saudi officials.

From the airport, located 35km north of Riyadh, the Prime Minister drove straight to the majestic and highly fortified King Saud Guest Palace in the heart of the city where Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud is hosting the Indian leader and his delegation.

The visit is expected to put bilateral ties on a new trajectory. India’s ties with Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s leading oil producers, have been on an upswing over the last two decades based on burgeoning energy ties and both countries may look to move beyond the buyer-seller relationship in the sector and go for joint ventures and investment in refineries and oil fields.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold extensive talks with King Salman on a range of bilateral issues on Sunday following which both sides will sign a number of MoUs. 

There are over 2.96 million Indian nationals working in Saudi Arabia, the largest expatriate community in the country, and Modi is expected to raise issues concerning them during his talks with the King