Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, April 22, for a two-day visit. He was welcomed in by the people of the Indian diaspora and locals in Jeddah. To welcome the Indian PM, Saudi singer Hashim Abbas sang ‘Aye Watan Watan Mere Azad Rahe Tu' from the Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal-starrer movie Raazi. While seeing this, PM Modi clapped and enjoyed the patriotic tune. The PM's arrival turned into a celebration, with people with tricolour flags, cultural performances, and chants of “Vande Mataram” reverberating through the venue. Singer Hashim Abbas expressed his happiness at being part of the gathering. “It’s an honour to sing for such a vibrant and diverse community. Music transcends borders,” he said.
"First of all, people kept telling me that one day this would happen, because I love India so much. And with the help of my friend, who is actually a journalist here, we got the chance. It was truly an unbelievable moment, absolutely surreal. You could say it was like meeting the number one man in India," Hashim said further, reported the news agency IANS.
PM Narendra Modi Arrives in Jeddah
Prime Minister Modi's arrival in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is seen as an expression of India-Saudi friendship and cultural relations. The Indian community in Jeddah is one of the largest expatriate populations in Saudi Arabia.
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The visit comes after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's invitation. Both leaders will sign several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between the two countries. According to the news agency PTI, at least six MoUs are scheduled to be signed.
"Landed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This visit will strengthen the friendship between India and Saudi Arabia. Eager to take part in the various programmes today and tomorrow," PM Modi said in a X post.