Under Operation Kaveri, a transit facility was set up in the Saudi city of Jeddah
India has thanked Saudi Arabia for helping to facilitate Operation Kaveri to evacuate Indians from strife-torn Sudan via the city of Jeddah, where a transit facility was set up.

Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, who visited the country from May 1-3, 2023, conveyed the appreciation of Government of India to the leadership and Government of Saudi Arabia during his meeting with Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji.

Providing this information on Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said both Ministers reviewed bilateral relations and discussed regional and international issues of mutual interest, including G20.

They expressed satisfaction on the continued progress in strategic partnership and agreed to impart further momentum in various fields including trade, investment, energy, health, education and culture. MoS Muraleedharan took up various consular issues concerning the welfare of the Indian community in Saudi Arabia.

During his visit, MoS Muraleedharan also met Deputy Ministers in Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmed Al Zahrani and Adnan Al Nuaim. Both sides discussed, in particular, enhancing their cooperation in the fields of skills, the MEA said.

Later, on Wednesday (May 3, 2023), he paid a visit to Dammam in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, where he met notable figures from the Saudi and Indian business communities at a gathering hosted by the Asharqia Chamber of Commerce. To commemorate the International Year of Millets 2023, he also inaugurated an exhibition of millets on this occasion.

While in Riyadh and Dammam, he held interactive sessions with various Indian community social and cultural organizations.