Crown Prince Salman refuses to pinpoint Pakistan’s role in Pulwama, calls for resumption of dialogue

Saudi Arabia has refrained from naming Pakistan as the sponsor of the recent terrorist attack in Pulwama, even as both Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the incident and called for dismantling terrorist infrastructure.

The joint statement by Crown Prince Salman and PM Modi, released late in the evening, fell short of pinning the blame of the Pulwama tragedy on Pakistan. “The Prime Minister and his Royal Highness condemned in the strongest terms the recent terrorist attack on Indian security forces in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir,” it said.

“Both sides called upon all countries to renounce the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy,” said the joint statement.

The statement also lauded PM Modi for his personal initiatives to have friendly relations with Pakistan, as it called for “resumption of a comprehensive dialogue” between the two neighbours.

Even while making his statement in the presence of Crown Prince Salman earlier in the day, PM Modi refused to even name Pakistan as the perpetrator of the Pulwama terror incident.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was on a two-day state visit to India. On his first state visit to India, Salman held discussions with Union External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, PM Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday. He leaves for China late in the evening, which will be the last-leg of his three-nation tour which also comprised Pakistan.

Briefing reporters after Salman’s meeting with PM Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the Indian side did “underline the complicity of Pakistan in the Pulwama incident” during discussions between the two leaders.

“The two leaders agreed that terrorism can’t be used as an instrument of state policy,” said TS Tirumurti, Secretary (Economic Relations) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Saying that both PM Modi and the Crown Prince had agreed upon the need for “resumption of comprehensive dialogue between India and Pakistan,” Tirumurti added, “However, dialogue can only take place under appropriate circumstances,” stressing the stand of India that terror and talks can’t go hand-in-hand.

Despite strong words against terrorism, Saudi’s apparent shielding of Pakistan from any blame hasn’t been lost on observers. During his visit to Pakistan, Crown Prince Salman stated in a joint statement with Prime Minister Imran Khan that both countries lauded each other’s efforts in combatting terrorism, widely seen in India as a snub to the Modi government’s ongoing diplomatic effort to isolate Islamabad on the global stage.

Noting that Crown Prince had pledged an investment of $20 billion in Pakistan, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala questioned PM Modi over the need of breaking the protocol and rushing to the airport to receive Salman upon his arrival in New Delhi on Tuesday evening.

“What was the need of breaking the protocol? Does Modi ji have the guts to ask Saudi Arabia to suspend aid to Pakistan due to its role in the Pulwama terror attack,” Surjewala said on Wednesday.

$100 billion in investment over an unspecified period of time

Crown Prince Salman has further pledged an overall investment of $100 billion in India over the coming years in a range of sectors, including petrochemicals, energy, refining, agriculture, manufacturing and infrastructure among others.

No specific details of where the money would be invested, or the time frame of the incoming investment, was given by the MEA.

“We don’t have the split-up of the investment yet,” said TS Tirumurti.

India and Saudi Arabia have signed five Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) during Salman’s visit- on investing in the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund, in the field of Tourism, in the Field of Housing, on Enhancing Bilateral Investment Relations and in the broadcasting sector.

Besides, Saudi Arabia has also signed the Framework Agreement on the International Solar Alliance, as per MEA.

(Updated at 10:53 PM)