PM Narendra Modi meets global leaders at G20; discusses oil prices with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince

With the Saudi Crown Prince, PM Modi discussed the current Gulf situation.

OSAKA:  Even by diplomatic standards, the first day of the G20 Summit was not only hectic but showed how India was a much-sought-after country at the Summit in Osaka, Japan. While the 2 trilateral meetings - RIC and JAI, Russia, India and China and Japan America and India, along with informal BRICS meet dominated the day, key bilaterals with countries such as Saudi Arabia were an important element of the day.

Other than PM Modi's much-touted bilateral with US President Donald Trump, his meeting with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, South Korean President Moon Jae In, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron also grabbed eyeballs.

With the Saudi Crown Prince, the PM discussed the current Gulf situation.

An invaluable strategic partner.

PM @narendramodi met with Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud on the margins of the #G20. Discussed deepening cooperation in trade & investment, energy security, counter terrorism, among other areas. pic.twitter.com/PdSqk9riP5

— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) June 28, 2019

Addressing a press briefing later, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said, "They discussed the situation in the gulf and the prime minister said that this could impact oil prices which is important for India. PM appreciated the efforts by Saudi Arabia in ensuring, oil supplies have remained stable and oil prices have remained predictable in the last few months".

"Iran wasn't discussed," Foreign Secretary added.

Crown Prince has invited Indian PM for a conference in his country which will happen later this year. The Haj quota has also been increased for Indian, from 170,000 to 200,000.

While with Merkel-Modi meet saw a discussion on artificial intelligence, railway modernisation, with South Korea, the focus was on how to improve the visa regime between the 2 countries. South Korea has recently liberalized group visas for the Indian tourists.

PM also had pull-aside meetings Vietnam PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc & World Bank President  David Malpass and met several world leaders such as Canada's PM Justin Trudeau.

PM Will be meeting Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Italian PM Giuseppe Conte, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong, President of Chile Sebastián Piñera, and Australian PM Scott Morrison on the second and the final day of the G20 summit on Saturday.