Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, for his third visit to the prime minister of the oil-rich Gulf Kingdom.

The trip comes the day after Modi held high-level talks with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, New Delhi hopes to reach a trade deal with Washington and remove penalties.

“India has valued its long and historic ties with Saudi Arabia in recent years, which have gained strategic depth and momentum,” Modi said in a statement released in his office.

“Together we have built a mutually beneficial and substantial partnership.”

Images posted on Modi X’s account show several Saudi officials greeted the prime minister after landing in Jeddah in the afternoon.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi told India and Saudi Arabia were exploring joint projects for refineries and petrochemicals. Arab News In an interview, he began a two-day visit to the country on Tuesday.

He added: “We are now looking at the feasibility study of grid interconnectivity in India and Saudi Arabia and the wider region.”

Saudi Arabia has been the leading supplier of Indian oil in the world’s most populous country for many years.

India’s rapidly growing economy depends largely on oil imports, and according to the Indian Foreign Ministry, Saudi Arabia has been named its third largest supplier.

The Gulf Kingdom is also home to more than 2 million Indian nationals who have long played a key role in their labor market, helping to build many of the country’s large projects while sending billions of dollars in remittances home each year.

According to his office, Modi plans to meet with members of the Indian community during the two-day visit.

Modi and Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman formed close ties with U.S. President Donald Trump during his first term.

Trump made a visit to Saudi Arabia next month, which will be the first major diplomatic trip in his second term.