India and Saudi Arabia Hold Sixth JCDC Meeting, Explore New Avenues for Defence Collaboration

The discussions covered expanding engagement in key areas such as military cooperation, training, defence industry collaboration, and research and development (R&D).

India and Saudi Arabia held the sixth edition of the Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation (JCDC) meeting on September 4, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. During the meeting, both nations explored new avenues to further strengthen their longstanding and multifaceted defence partnership. The discussions covered expanding engagement in key areas such as military cooperation, training, defence industry collaboration, and research and development (R&D).

The relationship between India and Saudi Arabia is built on deep-rooted economic and socio-cultural ties that have developed over centuries. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation serves as the framework for defence collaboration between the two countries. The Joint Defence Cooperation Committee, established under this MoU, is the institutional mechanism responsible for promoting defence cooperation objectives.

The Indian delegation, led by Joint Secretary Shri Amitabh Prasad, comprised officials from the Ministry of Defence. The Saudi Arabian side was co-chaired by Major General Salman Bin Awadh Al-Harbi, representing the Saudi delegation. Detailed discussions were held to enhance the scope of engagement and to advance collaboration in the areas discussed.