As the first Indian prime minister in over four decades to visit Jeddah, the commercial capital of Saudi Arabia and the gateway to Islam's holiest sites, Modi's visit goes far beyond symbolic gestures.

Various political parties in Jammu and Kashmir called for a shutdown in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday as a mark of protests against the terror attack in Pahalgam.The ruling National Conference backed the bandh call and said,

India and Saudi Arabia are exploring joint projects in refineries and petrochemicals, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Arab News in an interview, as he began a two-day visit to the country on Tuesday.