Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is scheduled to embark on a state visit to India and participate in the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi. This visit follows the successful visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Saudi Arabia in October 2019, during which the two nations established the Strategic Partnership Council. Crown Prince MBS will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including ministers and senior officials. During his visit, he is expected to meet with the President of India and hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They will review the progress made under the two Ministerial Committees of the Strategic Partnership Council, discussing various aspects of bilateral relations, including political, security, defense, trade, economic, cultural, and people-to-people ties, as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest. Bilateral trade between India and Saudi Arabia reached $52.75 billion in 2022-23, with energy sales being a significant component. Additionally, there is a substantial Indian community of approximately 2.4 million in Saudi Arabia, contributing to the host country’s development and strengthening the multifaceted ties between the two nations.
In another context, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge emphasized the separation of religion and politics, stating that there was no need to mix the two. His remarks came amidst a political debate surrounding DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s recent comments about Sanatan Dharma. Kharge attended the Chhattisgarh government’s ‘Bharose ka Sammelan’ event in Thekwa and stated that religion and politics should remain distinct, avoiding any debate on the topic. This comes after BJP leader Rajesh Munat sought clarification from Kharge regarding the Congress’s stance on Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks on Sanatan Dharma, which have sparked controversy. Udhayanidhi Stalin had compared Sanatan Dharma to diseases like dengue and malaria, advocating for its eradication, although he later clarified that his criticism was aimed at the caste-based societal structure upheld by Sanatan Dharma, not Hinduism as a whole. DMK’s A Raja further intensified the debate by calling Sanatana Dharma a social disgrace, comparing it to HIV and leprosy. The BJP has demanded an apology from DMK leaders and alleged an “anti-Sanatan” agenda during an opposition bloc meeting in Mumbai.
