India and Saudi Arabia’s relationship will be maintained for thousands of years, the Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman said after ceremonial welcoming in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Stopping briefly to speak to journalists, he said his visit to India would improve centuries-old ties which he said are “in our DNA.”
“We want to be sure India and Saudi Arabia’s relationship is maintained for thousands of years,” the crown prince said, flanked by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind.
“I believe there’s a lot of Saudi work in India,” he added.
The crown prince also met with India’s Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries.
The crown prince, who arrived in India on Tuesday night after visiting Pakistan, will take part in talks with Modi that are expected to be wide-ranging.
The countries’ two-way trade totaled $27.5 billion last year.
The prime minister will also host a lunch for the visiting dignitaries, while in the evening President Ram Nath Kovind will host a banquet in honor of the Saudi crown prince, who is accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes ministers, senior officials and leading Saudi businessmen.