Indian PM Narendra Modi to visit Saudi Arabia on April 2

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Saudi Arabia as part of his three-nation trip from March 30 during which he will also visit Washington to attend Nuclear Security Summit.

Starting his visit with Belgium on March 30 for India-EU Summit, Modi will travel to Washington for NSS from March 31 before his two-day bilateral visit from April 2 to Saudi Arabia, one of the most powerful Arab countries.

In Saudi Arabia, he will hold talks with the Saudi leadership on key regional and bilateral issues, including trade and energy.

His visit, which comes nearly six years after last Prime Ministerial visit to Riyadh, assumes significance given the current regional situation and strained ties between SA and Iran, another strategically important country for India.

Apart from being India's largest supplier of crude oil, accounting for almost one fifth of its need, it is also India's fourth largest trading partner.

Saudi Arabia has the largest Indian diaspora.

The Prime Minister's visit to Saudi Arabia will be preceded by a trip to Washington for NSS, which will be attended by leaders from nearly 50 countries, including Pakistan's Sharif.