National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Wednesday met Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State, Cabinet member and National Security Adviser Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban in Riyadh, with discussions covering bilateral cooperation, regional developments and other issues of mutual interest.
In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said: “Hon’ble NSA Shri Ajit Doval held a productive meeting with the Saudi Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet, and National Security Adviser, H.E. Dr. Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban. The discussions covered bilateral cooperation as well as regional and other issues of mutual interest.”
Doval arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday on an official visit, underscoring the growing strategic engagement between India and Saudi Arabia. He was received at the airport by India’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr Suhel Ajaz Khan, and Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Political Affairs, Ambassador Dr Saud Al-Sati, according to the Indian Embassy in Riyadh.
The visit comes shortly after Saudi Arabia condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and the terror incident near Delhi’s Red Fort. Both countries reiterated their condemnation of terrorism at the third meeting of the India–Saudi Arabia Security Working Group under the Political, Consular and Security Cooperation Committee of the Strategic Partnership Council, held in Riyadh on January 28.
The meeting was co-chaired by Vinod Bahade, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism) in the Ministry of External Affairs, and Ahmed Al-Eissa, Director General of Legal Affairs and International Cooperation in the Ministry of Interior of Saudi Arabia.
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According to the Ministry of External Affairs, both sides condemned terrorism “in all its forms and manifestations”, including cross-border terrorism, and specifically denounced the terrorist attack on innocent civilians on April 22, 2025, in Pahalgam, and the terror incident on November 10, 2025, near the Red Fort in New Delhi.
The two sides comprehensively reviewed ongoing security cooperation and discussed threats posed by terrorist groups globally and in their respective regions. They exchanged views on enhancing cooperation on current and emerging counter-terrorism challenges, including countering extremism and radicalisation, combating the financing of terrorism, preventing the misuse of technology for terrorist purposes, and addressing the nexus between transnational organised crime and terrorism.
They also deliberated on measures to further strengthen bilateral legal and judicial cooperation, as well as law-enforcement coordination. The next meeting of the Security Working Group will be held in India on a mutually convenient date.
Earlier, on January 22, Secretary (South) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Dr Neena Malhotra, met resident Ambassadors of Arab countries to review ongoing cooperation between India and the Arab nations and preparations for forthcoming meetings.
In a post on X, the MEA said: “Secretary (South), Dr. Neena Malhotra met resident Ambassadors of Arab countries to review ongoing cooperation between India and the Arab countries and also preparations for forthcoming meetings. They also identified specific focus areas and activities in diverse sectors to drive the partnership forward.”
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