NSA Doval meets Saudi NSA to ramp up security cooperation

NSA Ajit Doval met Saudi Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet, and National Security Adviser, Dr. Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban in Riyadh to discuss several aspects of bilateral partnership including regional situation and ramping up security partnership.

Discussions focussed on regional situation including Iran and Gaza besides role of other states in the region, according to persons familiar with the visit.

The visit is happening in the backdrop of Saudi Arabia-Pakistan defence pact and growing Turkey-Saudi ties. The visit also helps to balance the growing India-UAE security partnership, an analyst on the region pointed out.


Doval arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday for an official visit, underscoring the growing strategic engagement between India and Saudi Arabia. The visit is happening close on the heels of India-Arab Foreign Ministers meet here.

At the recent 3rd meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Security Working Group under the Political, Consular and Security Cooperation Committee of the Strategic Partnership Council, both parties condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

The meeting was held on January 28 in Riyadh. The meeting was co-chaired by Vinod Bahade, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism), Ministry of External Affairs, and Ahmed Al-Eissa, Director General of Legal Affairs and International Cooperation, Ministry of Interior, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, according to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs.

Both sides reiterated their condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism and the dastardly terrorist attack on innocent civilians on 22 April 2025 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and the terror incident on 10 November 2025 near Red Fort, an official said.

Both sides shared views on enhancing cooperation on current and emerging counter-terrorism challenges, including countering extremism and radicalisation, combating the financing of terrorism, preventing the use of technology for terrorist purposes, and the nexus between transnational organised crime and terrorism.