INS Tamal, the eighth ship of the Talwar-class stealth frigates, and INS Surat, the latest indigenously constructed guided-missile destroyer of the Indian Navy, arrived at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on August 27 and August 28, respectively.

"During the port call, the crew will engage with the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) and Border Guards through sports fixtures, familiarisation with naval facilities and discussions towards fostering Indo-Saudi Arabian relations," read a government statement.

The Indian side will host a cultural exchange for senior dignitaries of the RSNF, Border Guards, diplomats, prominent members of the diaspora and local government officials.

The visit underscores India’s commitment to strengthening defence collaboration and friendly ties with Saudi Arabia.

It will also provide an opportunity for both navies to share Best Practices and explore avenues for further engagement.

7th meeting of India-Saudi Arabia Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation

The 7th meeting of India-Saudi Arabia Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation (JCDC) took place in New Delhi on August 28, 2025.

The meeting was co-chaired by Joint Secretary Amitabh Prasad from the Indian side and Staff Maj Gen Saad Mohammed H Alkathiri from the Saudi side.

Both sides reiterated their commitment to further strengthening bilateral defence cooperation and expressed happiness with the execution of most of the significant decisions taken during the previous JCDC meeting.

With a view to strengthening defence ties and exploring new avenues of collaboration, the two countries held discussions in areas such as training cooperation, industrial partnerships, maritime cooperation & military exercises.

The two sides discussed their respective training capabilities and requirements. India offered to provide training to the Saudi Armed Forces and discussed cooperation in Cyber, IT, disaster management & tactical communication.

The Indian side highlighted India’s growing prowess in defence manufacturing and showcased Made-in-India state-of-the-art equipment. Opportunities were explored for joint manufacturing and partnership in defence equipment with Saudi Arabia, read a government statement.

The co-chairs expressed satisfaction on the successful conduct of the Navy & Army Staff Talks this year and agreed to continue with the deliberations.

India and Saudi Arabia share a steadily deepening defence partnership. It is reflected by the addition of a Ministerial Committee on Defence Cooperation under the Strategic Partnership Council during the visit of the Prime Minister to Saudi Arabia in April 2025.