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Modi, who arrived in Jordan on a two-day visit at the invitation of Abdullah II, was warmly welcomed by the king at the Husseiniya Palace, where he held a one-on-one meeting ahead of delegation-level talks.
Both sides agreed to further deepen their partnership especially in the fields of trade and investment, defense and security, counter-terrorism and de-radicalization, fertilizers and agriculture, renewable energy and tourism.
The two leaders reaffirmed their united stand against terrorism.
Reaffirming India’s support for efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region, Modi said, “We hope that peace and stability will prevail in the region. We share a common and clear stance against terrorism. Under your leadership, Jordan has sent a strong and strategic message to the world against terrorism, extremism and radicalism.”
Abdullah II expressed strong support for India’s fight against terrorism and condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
Prime Minister Modi lauded the leadership of King Abdullah II in tackling terrorism, extremism and radicalization and contributing to the global fight against these evils. He praised King Abdullah II’s “active and positive role” on the Gaza issue.
Modi recalled that during King Abdullah II’s visit to India in 2018, he had participated in a conference on Islamic heritage.
PM Modi told King Abdullah II, “Your efforts to promote restraint are extremely important not only for regional peace but also for global peace.”
He further said, “I remember our first meeting was in 2015 at a non-UN event focused on countering violent extremism. Even then you gave inspiring remarks on this topic.”
Modi said that India and Jordan will continue to move forward together in this direction and will further strengthen all other dimensions of mutual cooperation.
PM Modi told King Abdullah II that he is confident that their meeting will give new momentum and depth to India-Jordan relations.
“We will continue our cooperation in areas such as trade, fertiliser, digital technology, infrastructure and people-to-people ties,” he said.
He thanked the King of Jordan for warmly welcoming him and his delegation.
He said, “You have shared very positive ideas to take India-Jordan relations to new heights. I sincerely thank you for your friendship and your deep commitment to India. This year, we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of our diplomatic relations. This milestone will continue to inspire us to move forward with new energy for many years to come.”
On his part, King Abdullah II said that all Jordanians welcome you to Jordan.
He said, “Your presence here has deep significance as our countries celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations. I believe this visit reflects the decades of friendship, mutual respect and productive cooperation between our two countries.”
King Abdullah II said, “Our nations enjoy a strong partnership, and they desire to pursue prosperity for our people. Over the past few years, our cooperation has expanded across many sectors. Your visit provides an important opportunity to chart new paths for economic cooperation.”
Both sides signed MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at promoting India-Jordan bilateral relations and friendship.
Noting that India is Jordan’s third largest trading partner, Modi proposed to increase bilateral trade to US$5 billion over the next 5 years. Bilateral trade between the two countries stands at US$2.8 billion. He also called for cooperation between Jordan’s digital payment system and India’s UPI.
PM Modi invited King Abdullah II to visit India, which he accepted.
Later in a post on Twitter, Modi said he had “meaningful discussions” with King Abdullah II.
He said, “This year we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of our bilateral diplomatic relations. This milestone will continue to inspire us to move forward with new energy in the times to come.”
He said, “Shared an 8-point vision to further deepen relations with Jordan. This includes: trade and economic cooperation, fertilizers and agriculture, information technology, healthcare, infrastructure, critical and strategic minerals, civil nuclear cooperation and people-to-people ties.”
After the talks, King Abdullah II hosted a banquet for PM Modi.
This full-fledged bilateral visit to Jordan is taking place after a period of 37 years, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Modi had passed through Jordan on his way to Palestine in February 2018.
Earlier, in a special gesture symbolizing the close ties between the two countries, Modi was warmly welcomed by Jordanian Prime Minister Jafar Hassan at the airport and accorded a ceremonial welcome.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister and the King will address an India-Jordan business event, which will be attended by leading businessmen from both countries.
The Prime Minister, accompanied by the Crown Prince, is scheduled to visit the historic city of Petra, which shares ancient trade links with India, subject to weather conditions.
Jordan is also a major supplier of fertilizers, especially phosphate and potash, to India.
The Arab country is home to a vibrant Indian diaspora of over 17,500 people employed in sectors such as textiles, construction and manufacturing.
Jordan is the first leg of Modi’s four-day, three-nation visit, which will also take him to Ethiopia and Oman.