Saudi fighter jets escort PM Modi's plane to Jeddah in special gesture

Saudi fighter fighters accompanied Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plane as it entered Saudi airspace and flew to Jeddah on Tuesday, April 22, marking the first visit by an Indian prime minister to the port city in 40 years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aircraft was escorted by F-15s of the Royal Saudi Air Force in the Saudi airspace.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for Saudi Arabia on Tuesday morning, at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. In his departure statement before of his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, PM Modi stated that India places a high priority on its long and historic connections with the kingdom, claiming that their relations have grown in strategic depth and momentum in recent years.

PM Modi stated that both countries have established a mutually beneficial and substantive collaboration, particularly in the areas of defense, trade, investment, energy, and people-to-people relations. Trade and investment, energy and defence cooperation, the regional security situation and connectivity projects are set to loom in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman next week, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said on Saturday.