Saudi Arabian fighter jets escorted the Prime Minister's aircraft, Air India One as it entered the country's airspace en route to Jeddah.
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00:00Saudi Arabia has welcomed Prime Minister Modi in the skies.
00:07Prime Minister Modi is going to be touching down in Saudi Arabia.
00:10And this is footage of Saudi jets accompanying Prime Minister Modi's flight.
00:16So a warm welcome there for the Prime Minister even before he touches down in Saudi Arabia.
00:22Saudi saying Ahlan Modi, Namaste Modi in their way, in the skies there.
00:27What you see on your screens are Saudi jets that flew right with, in fact, Air India 1 with Prime Minister Modi's aircraft as he is set to reach Saudi Arabia.
00:41So a warm welcome there and that itself highlights for you what exactly is the importance of this visit of Prime Minister Modi to Saudi Arabia.
00:50Three jets that you can see in this video shared to us by the PMO has been shot from inside.
00:57The Prime Minister's aircraft as you can see three jets, three Saudi jets accompanying the Indian aircraft in a message of warm welcome to the Prime Minister.
01:09This video has been shot on board Air India 1.
01:13It's the aircraft that the Prime Minister travels in for his foreign tours.
01:17And on both sides of the aircraft, along both sides, you had jets deployed by Saudi Arabia to accompany Prime Minister Modi's flight.
01:28It's a message being sent across by Saudi Arabia of warmth, of a welcome to Prime Minister Modi as well, signifying so much of really what this visit means to Saudi Arabia and how they consider India to today be one of their crucial and most important allies.
01:47We've spoken repeatedly about the warmth and friendship between Prime Minister Modi and MBS, Mohammed bin Salman.
01:53We've seen that on display as well during Prime Minister's many visits to Saudi Arabia or vice versa as well.
02:00But I want to bring in Shivani Sharma to kind of explain this video for us better.
02:04Shivani, what a beautiful sight.
02:06Shot from Air India 1, the aircraft carrying the Prime Minister to Saudi Arabia.
02:10We see three Saudi jets accompanying the flight.
02:14A great gesture by Saudi Arabia.
02:17Akhita, this is how Saudi Arabia is welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will be on a two-day visit there.
02:24And these fighter jets, as we can see in the picture, they are accompanying Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aircraft.
02:31And you can see this is the formation where they are welcoming and they are escorting Prime Minister.
02:37Generally, when we receive a guest, we go and escort that guest physically.
02:42But even before he's landed there, he's being escorted in the air.
02:47So that is the kind of gesture that this military aircraft of UAE are showing here.
02:54So this is how Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now been welcomed to UAE when he's there on a very important two-day visit.
03:01There's also highlights, clearly Shivani, is the kind of depth that the India-Saudi Arabia friendship has reached.
03:10Because, you know, we've seen this in the last few years firsthand with regards to the kind of deals that have been inked between the two countries.
03:16Or for that matter, just the friendship between the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Modi.
03:23Akhita, see, when we talk about UAE, this will be Prime Minister's third visit to UAE.
03:29And this is very important because in the last few years, the ties between India and UAE have reshaped.
03:36And not only for the energy security, but when we talk about the overall diplomatic ties with UAE and India,
03:45they are developing, they are strengthening.
03:47And a very important aspect of these ties are also the defence ties.
03:51We are holding exercises with UAE and that partnership, that interoperability and that kind of bond is now visible when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be landing in Jeddah.
04:05See, this is the airspace of Jeddah where these fighters of UAE have escorted him in the sky.
04:12So this is the gesture that shows how India is redefining its connection with UAE.
04:18And this is a very unique gesture kept reserved for the closest of friends to Saudi Arabia.
04:25The moment Air India 1 entered into Saudi airspace, these jets arrived on both sides of the Prime Minister's aircraft.
04:34This is a video that we've in fact accessed from the PMO, which shows the Saudi jets on either side.
04:41And a better angle there for you, you can see the Saudi jets right there, side by side with Air India 1.
04:48What a beautiful sight indeed to see those jets maintaining just about the same level, floating, gliding along with the Prime Minister's aircraft there.
04:57On either side, three jets, we understand, were deployed by Saudi Arabia in what is, of course, a message that holds huge significance
05:05and tells you about how important Saudi Arabia considers us to be as an ally, as a friend.
05:13Lovely videos, this Shivani, that have come to the foreshot on board Prime Minister Modi's aircraft,
05:19where you can see these kind of jets on either side.
05:23And this is a very rare gesture.
05:24And just to put that in context, it's a very, very special gesture that Saudi Arabia has taken up for the Prime Minister.
05:31Akshita, certainly this is a very special gesture in a very unusual kind of manner.
05:39A guest has now been received like on the airspace itself before even he lands there.
05:45So this is important to mention out here that how the chemistry between the Crown Prince and Prime Minister Narendra Modi
05:53has been visible in their body languages.
05:55And now when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is arriving in Baghdad, and this would be his third official visit,
06:01he's being welcomed in disguise itself with this beautiful gesture, the formation that the fighters from the UAE Air Force have displayed here.
06:10So this is how they are now welcoming and showing what India's friendship means for UAE.
06:17Very true. Images that are coming in right now from Saudi Arabia as, in fact, the aircraft entered into Saudi airspace.
06:28These jets then came along, gliding along with the aircraft, three on either side.
06:34This is footage that we have accessed that the PMO has shared that shows these jets traveling side by side with the Prime Minister's aircraft.
06:41So what this also means is that Air India 1 has entered into Saudi airspace so that landing expected in just some time from now.
06:51So we'll also stand by for the images of Prime Minister Modi in Jeddah.
06:55We won't be surprised, Shivani, if we actually see the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman there to personally receive the Prime Minister
07:02because we've seen these gestures before between the two leaders.
07:05See, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to meet the Crown Prince today in the evening.
07:12We'll have to wait and watch to see that he can come there to receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi
07:18because in prior visits we've seen the close chemistry, the close bond between the two leaders
07:24when Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier visited UAE and on other occasions when they had met physically.
07:31So this time we have to see whether the Crown Prince himself comes here.
07:37Remember, this is a very important and a strategically very significant visit
07:42because India and UAE are working together not only for the energy securities
07:48but they are growing their defence ties, they are working on military deals
07:52and this time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to UAE, he's also visiting Jeddah
07:58and this is happening after a very long time when an Indian Prime Minister will be visiting Jeddah
08:03and the way he has been now welcomed with these beautiful formations in the skies
08:08means a lot itself, Akshita.
08:11That's what India and India's strategic partnership means to UAE.
08:15And let's also just talk about the significance of this visit, what you just referred to Shivani
08:21about the Prime Minister expected in Jeddah, the first Indian Prime Minister
08:27to essentially go to this city in Saudi Arabia in 40 plus years.
08:33Previously, of course, Prime Minister Modi, when he's gone, has always visited Riyadh,
08:37which is the capital, never really to Jeddah.
08:40So what's the significance of that?
08:41Yes, you are right, Akshita. This is happening in four decades when Indian Prime Minister
08:47is visiting Jeddah and this is important because India and Saudi Arabia, they are set to sign
08:53at least six MOUs and when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Jeddah,
08:58there will be talks and they will be finalising more agreements and they are already working
09:04on a strategic partnership. They will be meeting, the leaders will be meeting, the Crown Prince
09:09will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and they will be discussing issues related
09:14to Hajj. But yes, Jeddah has been a place where in the last 40 years no Indian Prime Minister
09:20has gone and this is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first visit as a Prime Minister to Jeddah and
09:27he will be talking to the Crown Prince and discussing a number of issues between both the countries
09:33that they are related to the fields of space, energy, health, science, scientific research,
09:38culture and advanced technology. So the kind of relationship that India is now building
09:45with UAE is quite significant and this is happening after 40 years when Indian Prime Minister
09:51will be going to Jeddah.