Saudi State Minister for Foreign Affairs holds talk with Sushma Swaraj

Days after visiting Islamabad, Saudi State Minister for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir on Monday held extensive talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj here with a focus on deepening cooperation to combat terrorism. It is learnt that the recent Indo-Pak tensions triggered by Pulwama attack and India's subsequent air strike on a terrorist training camp in Pakistan also came up during the meeting.

During his four-and-a-half-hour visit, Jubeir also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed bilateral issues, officials said. In her meeting with Jubeir, Swaraj is learnt to have raised the issue of cross-border terrorism and the need for ramping up pressure on Islamabad to take action to dismantle terror infrastructure in that country.

"EAM @SushmaSwaraj had a warm meeting with the Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs @AdelAljubeir on his visit to India. Follow up to the recent visit of Saudi Crown Prince to India, including cooperation in counter-terrorism, came up for discussion," MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted. The Saudi minister's visit here comes in the backdrop of global efforts to de-escalate tension between India and Pakistan triggered by the suicide attack by JeM in Pulwama on February 14 in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed and subsequent aerial strike by India on a training camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror outfit in Balakot on February 26.

Pakistan retaliated the next day by unsuccessfully attempting to target Indian military installations. Last week, Jubeir visited Islamabad and met Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. During the meeting, he delivered to Khan a "special message" from Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, according to Pakistani media reports.

He also held talks with Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Countries like the US, the UK, China, Saudi Arabia and the UAE were involved in easing tensions between India and Pakistan.

Jubeir's visit to the two countries comes weeks after the Crown Prince's stand-alone visits to India and Pakistan soon after the Pulwama terror attack.

(With inputs from agencies.)