MoS Defence Ajay Bhatt on Wednesday held talks with Saudi Arabia Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud on the sidelines of World Defence Show (WDS) 2024, being held in Riyadh.

“The two diplomats discussed various aspects of bilateral defence cooperation,” the Ministry of Defence said.

The ministry said that the WDS is a five-day event which commenced on February 4 and Ajay Bhatt is heading the Indian delegation in Saudi.

The ministry said that the event is showcasing the latest advancements in defence technology serving as a vital platform for international collaboration amongst the participating companies.

The ministry said that Ajay Bhatt also held talks with the Assistant Minister of Defence of Saudi Arabia Dr Khaled Al-Bayari, with whom he discussed ways to further strengthen the long-standing and multi-faceted defence cooperation between the two countries.

“The discussions centred around exploring avenues for collaboration in areas of mutual interest, including increasing the scope of joint training exercises, technology transfer and exchange of expertise,” the ministry said.

It said that Ajay Bhatt also held a meeting with the Governor of Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) Ahmad Abdulaziz Al-Ohali.

“They discussed the way ahead towards collaborating in varied areas of defence production, Research and Development, besides niche technologies,” the ministry said.

The ministry said that Ajay Bhatt also visited the pavilion of Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI).