Pakistan denies use of airspace to PM Modi for Saudi Arabia visit
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has been scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia for a two-day visit on October 28, has been denied traveling over Pakistan air space. He is scheduled to participate in the third edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII), an annual investment forum there.
PM Modi's visit to Saudi Arabia comes months after Saudi crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman visited India in February. The development came after Saudi Arabia announced an investment of $100 billion in India in areas of petrochemicals, infrastructure, and mining among others.
Saying that India is an attractive investment destination, Saudi Ambassador Dr Saud Bin Mohammed Al Sati had also said his country is eyeing long-term partnerships with New Delhi in key sectors such as oil, gas, and mining.
Revealing details about PM Modi's visit to Saudi Arabia, Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that he will be holding a bilateral meeting with Saudi Arabia King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Riyadh.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet King of Saudi Arabia His Majesty Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,” TS Tirumurti, Chief Secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs had said.
Pakistan, on the other hand, turned down India’s request to allow Prime Minister Narendra Modi use its airspace to travel to Saudi Arabia, following which India on Sunday said it has taken up the matter with the International Civil Aviation Oraganisation (ICAO) as overflight clearances are sought and granted as per the guidelines prescribed by the ICAO.
“Overflight clearances are sought and granted by other countries as per prescribed by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines and India will continue to seek such overflight clearances. We’ve taken up the matter of such denial with the civil aviation body,” government sources told ANI.
