Page 3 - Saudi Arabia

PM Modi condoles death of Saudi Arabia's grand mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday condoled the death of Saudi Arabia's grand mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al AlSheikh. Modi said on X, "Deepest condolences on the sad demise of the Grand Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Eminence Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al AlSheikh. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kingdom and its people in this moment of grief." Sheikh Abdulaziz served as the top religious authority of the Islamic state for over two decades. His death was announced on Tuesday.

Don't think we should overreact: Tharoor on Saudi-Pakistan defence pact

Last week, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a "Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement", pledging that any aggression against either nation would be treated as an attack on both

'Not on the radar': Pak Defence Min Asif denies nuclear link in Saudi pact

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told Geo TV that Pakistan's capabilities extend to Saudi under the pact, but later told Reuters that nuclear weapons are 'not on the radar'

Entry of other Arab countries in Pak-Saudi defence pact not ruled out: Asif

The entry of other Arab countries in the mutual defence deal between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is not ruled out, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said, adding that doors are not closed for such developments. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday signed a "strategic mutual defence" agreement, which declares that any attack on either country will be considered "an aggression against both". The deal was signed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the Pakistani leader's day-long visit to the Gulf Kingdom, according to a joint statement. The deal comes days after an Israeli attack on the Hamas leadership in Qatar, a key US ally in the Gulf region. Responding to a question whether more Arab nations could become part of the deal, Asif said: I cannot prematurely answer this, but I will definitely say the doors are not closed. Asif, during an interview to Geo News on Tuesday, said he had always called for a similar arrangement like NATO since

India sees Pak-Saudi defence pact as response to Israel's Doha strike

India reacted to the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defence pact saying Riyadh should respect mutual interests and sensitivities, while officials view the deal as accelerated by Israel's Doha strike

'Examining implications': India on US move to revoke Chabahar port waiver

The revocation of the sanctions waiver comes as a challenge for India, as it is involved in the development of a terminal at Chabahar Port

India to study implications of Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defence pact

India said it will study the implications of the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defence pact for its security and regional stability, reaffirming its resolve to protect national interests

Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defence pact: What does it mean for India's security?

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a defence pact pledging joint military support. India is weighing its security implications as Riyadh deepens ties with Islamabad

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia sign defence pact: 'Attack on one is attack on both'

During Shehbaz Sharif's visit, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement which expanded defence cooperation, including training, exercises and intelligence sharing

France, Saudi to co-chair conference on two-state solution for Palestine

Macron also set priorities for the conference that include permanent ceasefire, hostage release, large-scale aid to Gaza, and a stabilisation mission in the Gaza Strip

Saudi Arabia, Qatar to invest in Lebanon if Hezbollah disarms: US envoy

Saudi Arabia and Qatar are ready to invest in an economic zone in south Lebanon near the border with Israel that would create jobs for members of the militant Hezbollah group and its supporters once they lay down their weapons, President Donald Trump's envoy to the Middle East said Tuesday. Tom Barrack made his comments in Beirut after trips to Israel and Syria where he discussed with officials there the ongoing situation in Lebanon following this month's decision by the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year. Hezbollah's leader rejected the government's plan, vowing to keep the weapons. On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces could begin withdrawing from territory they hold in southern Lebanon after the Lebanese government's momentous decision to disarm Hezbollah. The US-backed Lebanese army is preparing a plan for Hezbollah's disarmament that should be ready by the end of August. The government is expected to discuss the ...

Hinduja Group's Ashok Leyland set to rev up West Asia growth plans

Chairman Dheeraj Hinduja told Business Standard that the company is in the final stages of coming up with a new unit in the region

India, Saudi Arabia set up joint group to boost maritime cooperation

India and Saudi Arabia have agreed to deepen bilateral maritime relations, an official statement said on Wednesday. Both countries have formed a Joint Working Group (JWG) on maritime cooperation in the shipping and logistics sectors, marking a new chapter in the strategic partnership, the statement said. This decision was taken during a high-level virtual meeting between Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and Saudi Arabia's Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser. According to the statement, Sonowal underscored the historic and growing relationship between the two nations. India and Saudi Arabia share centuries-old economic and socio-cultural ties, he said. The establishment of the strategic partnership council, co-chaired by the leaders of both countries, has elevated bilateral cooperation to new heights. Sonowal pointed to recent developments, including the launch of the JeddahMundra/Nhava Sheva route by Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia rapidly losing appetite for oil amid renewables push

Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest net exporter of crude, is using renewables to drastically reduce its petroleum consumption

Opec+ countries to boost oil production by 547,000 barrels per day

A group of countries that are part of the OPEC+ alliance of oil-exporting countries has agreed to boost oil production, a move some believe could lower oil and gasoline prices, citing a steady global economic outlook and low oil inventories. The group met virtually on Sunday and announced that eight of its member countries would increase oil production by 547,000 barrels per day in September. The countries boosting output, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman, had been participating in voluntary production cuts, initially made in November 2023, which were scheduled to be phased out by September 2026. The announcement means the voluntary production cuts will end ahead of schedule. The move follows an OPEC+ decision in July to boost production by 548,000 barrels per day in August. OPEC said the production adjustments may be paused or reversed as market conditions evolve. When production increases, oil and gasoline prices ma

Saudi Arabia to allow foreigners, expats to buy property from January 2026

Saudi Arabia will allow foreign nationals to buy property in designated zones from January 2026, as part of Vision 2030. The move aims to attract expat investors and boost the real estate sector

Saudi Arabia's new skill-based work permits for foreign workers explained

Saudi Arabia introduces a skill-based work permit system for foreign workers, classifying them by qualifications, experience, wages and age via Qiwa platform

Executions in Saudi Arabia hit record high mostly over drug cases: Amnesty

Executions in Saudi Arabia surged last year to a record high, Amnesty International said Monday, as activists increasingly warn about the kingdom's use of the death penalty in nonviolent drug cases. Saudi Arabia executed 345 people last year, the highest number ever recorded by Amnesty in over three decades of reporting. In the first six months of this year alone, 180 people have been put to death, the group said, signalling that record likely will again be broken. This year, about two-thirds of those executed were convicted on non-lethal drug charges, the activist group Reprieve said separately. Amnesty also has raised similar concerns about executions in drug cases. Saudi Arabia has not offered any comment on why it increasingly employs the death penalty in the kingdom. Saudi officials did not respond to detailed questions from The Associated Press about the executions and why it is using the death penalty for nonviolent drug cases. However, it conflicts with comments from Crown

Arab countries next target of US, Israel, says J&K Ex-CM Farooq Abdullah

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah warned the Arab countries on Monday that they will be the next target of Israel and the US as Tel Aviv and Washington are eyeing their oil and gas. "It is their (United States') long-time policy that Iran should not become a nuclear power. Even the Sunni countries in the region are against it but they do not have the courage to speak up. "Today, they think Iran has been attacked, but I want to warn them through you that one day, Israel will attack them also, because they want their wealth like oil and gas. Israel is only a facade, America is standing right behind," Abdullah told reporters after a party meeting at Nawa-i-Subah here. Asked about the impact of the escalation of the war in the Middle East, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said it will severely affect the economic condition of all countries. "I am hopeful that the (other) world powers are watching the situation. If this (war) escalates, the economic condition