NEW DELHI: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, made an unannounced visit to New Delhi on Thursday, meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
This meeting came amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following India’s military strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people.
Jaishankar shared on social media that the meeting was productive and included discussions on countering terrorism.
The strikes, which allegedly targeted terrorist infrastructure, resulted in casualties, and the action has led to a sharp rise in tensions between the two nations.
India had previously taken strong diplomatic measures in response to the attack, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty.
The timing of al-Jubeir’s visit coincided with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi’s arrival in New Delhi for a bilateral meeting, further highlighting the diplomatic activity surrounding the situation.
Araghchi had recently offered to mediate between India and Pakistan and had visited Islamabad earlier in the week.
In an interview with Turkey's TRT World news channel, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, confirmed that there had been "contact" between the national security advisers of India and Pakistan..
Meanwhile, there are reports of back-channel communications between Indian and Pakistani national security officials aimed at de-escalating tensions.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed that there had been contact between the two sides.
[Reported by Hindustan Times]
