India and Saudi Arabia are exploring joint projects in refineries and petrochemicals, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Arab News in an interview, as he began a two-day visit to the country on Tuesday.

As the first Indian prime minister in over four decades to visit Jeddah, the commercial capital of Saudi Arabia and the gateway to Islam's holiest sites, Modi's visit goes far beyond symbolic gestures.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held talks and co-chaired the second India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council (SPC) in Jeddah on Tuesday. PM Modi invited Mohammed bin Salman to visit India for the third meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council.