India, Saudi to expedite Maha refinery project
India and Saudi Arabia on Monday decided to expedite the implementation of the 50 billion dollar West Coast refinery project. Both the countries identified energy, defence, semiconductor and space as areas for intensified cooperation during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.
At the first India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council meeting, the two sides agreed to diversify the current status of their hydrocarbon relationship into a “comprehensive energy partnership” and inked eight pacts to boost cooperation in a range of areas including digitisation and investment.
“Both sides extended their full support to the early implementation of the West Coast refinery project, which is a trilateral cooperation between ARAMCO, ADNOC and Indian companies,” Ausaf Sayeed, secretary (overseas Indian affairs) in the External Affairs Ministry, said.
At a media briefing, Sayeed said different areas of cooperation such as energy, defence, security, education, technology, transportation, healthcare, tourism and culture were identified in the talks between the two leaders.