Amman, Dec 15 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Jordan's Amman Monday afternoon as he kicked off his three-nation tour which will also include visits to Ethiopia and the Sultanate of Oman - all countries with which India shares both age-old civilizational ties, as well as extensive contemporary bilateral relations.
In a special gesture, Jordanian Prime Minister Jafar Hassan welcomed Prime Minister Modi at the airport as he arrived in the country on a two-day visit at the invitation of King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein.
During the visit, PM Modi will hold discussions with Jordan's King where both leaders are expected to review the entire gamut of relations between India and Jordan, and exchange perspectives on regional issues.
The visit, marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, presents an opportunity to further strengthen India-Jordan bilateral engagement, explore new avenues of collaboration for mutual growth and prosperity, and reiterate our commitment to promote regional peace, prosperity, security and stability.
"This historic visit will mark 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries. During my visit, I will hold detailed discussions with His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein, H.E. Mr. Jafar Hassan, Prime Minister of Jordan, and will also look forward to engagements with His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II. In Amman, I will also meet the vibrant Indian community who have made significant contributions to India–Jordan relations," PM Modi said in his departure statement, earlier in the day.
This is Prime Minister Modi's first full-fledged bilateral visit to Jordan - he had earlier transited through Jordan in February 2018 while on his way to the State of Palestine.
"Even though it was a transit visit, exceptional courtesies were accorded to him by His Majesty the King, making it more than just a transit visit. This, the current full bilateral visit is taking place after an interval of 37 years. India and Jordan share warm and friendly relations marked by mutual trust and goodwill. The relationship spans across sectors including political, economic, defence, and strong people-to-people ties," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (South) Neena Malhotra said ahead of the Prime Minister's visit.
"Our bilateral relations are marked by strong understanding at the leadership level. Since the last visit of His Majesty in 2018, both the leaders have met four times with the latest being on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy in June 2024. The leaders are in touch with each other telephonically as well, and both the leaders also spoke recently in April 2025 after the ghastly Pahalgam terror attacks, during which His Majesty condemned the terror attacks, and said that terrorism should be rejected in all its forms and manifestations. His Majesty also reiterated his support for India's fight against terrorism and both countries have cooperated in counter-terrorism including by India's participation in the initiatives launched by His Majesty such as the Aqaba process," she added.
India and Jordan also share strong economic ties with India being the third largest trading partner of Jordan, and the bilateral trade between the two countries is valued at 2.8 billion dollars. Jordan is also a leading supplier of fertilizers for India, particularly phosphates and potash. There is also a joint venture named Jordan India Fertilizer Company (JIFCO) with an investment of 860 million dollars between IFFCO of India and Jordan Phosphates Mines Company (JPMC) of Jordan. According to the MEA, in the field of investment, there are around 15 garment companies with an investment of 500 million dollars located in the qualified industrial zones of Jordan.
"Jordan is home to a vibrant Indian diaspora of over 17,500 who are employed in different sectors such as textiles, construction, manufacturing and others. As regards connectivity, Royal Jordanian has recently started direct flights between Amman and Mumbai, and plans to expand their operations to New Delhi. Jordan provides tourist visa on arrival to Indian tourists and have recently started electronic visa," stated Malhotra.
--IANS
/as