Defense and security cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia

Indian engagements in the Gulf region have been increasingly shaped by the rise of extremism, the rise of China as a formidable global force and the decline of American power. India and Saudi Arabia, particularly, have a strategic economic and security partnership. Both have remained trading partners, with India importing almost one-fifth of its crude oil demand from the country.
 
Other than being a source of energy for India, Saudi Arabia has displayed a willingness to cooperate on multiple issues including joint military exercises, intelligence sharing, counterterrorism, anti-money laundering and terror financing.
 
Amongst these, counterterrorism is a critical aspect of the bilateral relations between India and Saudi Arabia.
 
A peek into history
 
2006: King Abdullah visited India and signed the Delhi Declaration laid the groundwork for their close and active cooperation towards fighting against terrorism.
 
2010: During former Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh’s visit to Saudi Arabia, the Riyadh Declaration was signed to establish cooperation on exchanging information on terrorism.
 
2014: During His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s visit to India in February, an MoU on Defence Cooperation was signed
 
2016: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Saudi Arabia further solidified this relationship. He was also conferred with the highest civilian honour in the country, which is the Sash of King Abdulaziz.
 
An evolving approach today
 
From 19-20th February 2019, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of Saudi, made his first official state visit to India. Both countries welcomed the recent developments in their cooperation across the defense sector, particularly related to exchange of training and expertise, especially the outcomes of the 4th Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation in Riyadh on 2-3 January, 2019.
 
Both leaders mutually agreed upon the following, under defense and security cooperation:

• Conduct joint naval exercises at the earliest
• Joint defense production of spare parts and supply chain development for Naval and Land systems, for mutual benefit
• Work together and collaborate with other Indian Ocean Rim Countries for enhancing maritime security, vital for the security and prosperity of both countries and safe passage for international trade
• Ground regional connectivity projects in international law, specifically respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of states
• Need to create the necessary conditions for resumption of comprehensive dialogue between India and Pakistan

 
A “Comprehensive Security Dialogue” will be constituted with National Security Advisors to set up a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism, for enhanced collaborative efforts and real-time intelligence sharing for mutual benefits. This is in addition to the ongoing efforts across a range of security issues, including maritime security, law enforcement, anti-money laundering, drug trafficking, human trafficking, illegal migration, and other transnational organized crimes.
 
In order to address the grave concerns over the misuse of cyberspace as a medium of promoting subversive and extremist ideologies, both sides signed an MoU on Technical Cooperation in Cyber Space and Combating Cyber Crime, to promote cooperation, including prevention of the use of cyberspace for terror, radicalism and incitement to disturb social harmony.
 
Broadly, they stressed upon the importance of securing regional stability and good relationships with neighboring countries. Both sides rejected any attempts to link the universal phenomena of terrorism and extremism to a region or culture. They also reiterated the need to for concerted action by the international community through comprehensive sanctions and UN resolutions against terrorist organisations and the early adoption of the UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. The leaders also discussed the regional and international security situation in the Middle East (based on the Arab Peace Initiative) and West Asia, given their mutual goals of global stability, peace and security.
 
India Outbound
February 21, 2019
 
 

source https://indiaoutbound.org/defense-and-security-cooperation-between-india-and-saudi-arabia/