Saudi's full support to India on Kashmir, Shahbaz's hopes dashed

India-Saudi Arabia Relation: Pakistan's newly elected Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif is in Saudi Arabia these days on his first foreign tour. However, Saudi Arabia has shocked Pakistan on Kashmir issue. In the conversation, Saudi clearly said that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan. Along with this, Saudi advised PM Shahbaz to find a solution by talking to India. In a joint statement, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia stressed the importance of dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad to resolve Kashmir and other pending issues.

Discussion on regional issues including Kashmir

This was said in a joint statement which was issued a day after an official meeting between Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi King Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Al-Safa Palace in Mecca. According to the statement, their discussion focused on strengthening brotherly relations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and finding ways to increase cooperation in various fields. The statement said that they also discussed regional issues including Kashmir.

talks between pakistan and india

It said, 'Both sides stressed the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve the outstanding issues between the two countries, especially the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, to ensure peace and stability in the region.' Delhi has always maintained that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan and there is no question of mediation or interference by any third party.

Relations between New Delhi and Riyadh

Whereas both India and Pakistan have long standing friendly relations with Arab countries including Saudi Arabia. Relations between New Delhi and Riyadh have improved significantly under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Saudi Arabia has maintained a balanced stance on Jammu and Kashmir. While the Kingdom expressed concern over India's abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, it did not explicitly condemn the actions, instead calling it an internal matter of New Delhi.

Urge to convince India

In 2019, Pakistan urged the US to persuade India to start talks on a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue. This happened when the then US President Donald Trump had offered to mediate between the two countries on the Kashmir issue. However, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had made it clear that any discussion on the issue, if necessary, would take place only with Pakistan and only bilaterally. India has repeatedly told Pakistan that Jammu and Kashmir was, is and will always be an integral part of India. Delhi has said that it desires normal neighborly relations with Pakistan in an environment free from terror, hostility and violence.

In a joint statement, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan stressed the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve the outstanding issues between the two countries, (especially the Jammu and Kashmir dispute) to ensure peace and stability in the region. pic.twitter.com/rit3MNKsFY

— ANI (@ANI) April 9, 2024