Pradhan to visit Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar from Sep 7-12

Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will visit OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar from September 7 to further boost cooperation between the world's third-largest energy consumer and oil-rich Gulf nations.

Accompanied by an official and business delegation, he "will engage with his counterparts in oil and gas as well as steel sectors in three countries and also participate in the 8th Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable (AMER) at Abu Dhabi on September 10, where India is the co-Host along with UAE," an official statement said here on Friday.

In Saudi Arabia, the minister will have meetings with Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih and the senior management of Saudi Aramco, the Kingdom's national oil company.

"During his meetings, Pradhan will seek to further enhance cooperation with Saudi Arabia in the entire value chain of the hydrocarbon sector," it said.

Saudi Arabia has traditionally been a top supplier of crude oil to India and is looking to invest in Indian refineries and petrochemical projects.

During his visit to UAE, the minister is scheduled to meet his UAE counterparts Suhail Mohamed Faraj Al Mazrouei and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) CEO Sultan Ahmad Al Jaber and discuss issues of bilateral hydrocarbon as well steel sector engagement within the overall framework of India-UAE Strategic Partnership.

He will also participate in the 8th Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable (AMER). India will host the 9th edition of Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable in 2021.

On the sidelines of 8th AMER, Pradhan will also meet his counterparts from the Asian region and heads of international energy organizations, who are attending the Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable and the World Energy Congress.

In Qatar, he will call on the Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, apart from meeting his counterpart, the Minister of State of Energy Affairs Saad Sherida Al Kaabi.

Qatar is India's largest LNG and LPG supplier.