PM leaves for Saudi Arabia after Nuclear Security Summit

Washington, Apr 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left for Saudi Arabia after two days of engagement with world leaders during the Nuclear Security Summit here.

"My Washington DC visit was full of fruitful meetings and interactions. We have discussed an issue of great global importance," Modi said in a tweet before Air India One left Andrews Airforce Base for Saudi Arabia yesterday.

During his visit, Modi held bilateral meetings with British Prime Minister David Cameron, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, Swiss President Johann N Schneider-Ammann, Argentinian President Mauricio Macri and New Zealand PM John Key .

The Nuclear Security Summit was attended by leaders from more than 50 countries with heads of States from over 20 nations. At the summit, Modi also interacted with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev apart from a host of other leaders.

Speaking at the White House dinner hosted by US President Barack Obama which kicked off the two-day summit, he underlined the need for maintaining highest level of vigil with regard to nuclear terrorism, and made a veiled attack on Pakistan, saying the "greatest risk" is from state actors working with nuclear traffickers.

"Farewell Washington! After 2 days of intense diplomacy PM @narendramodi leaves for final leg of his three nation tour," MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. As Prime Minister, this was Modi's third trip to the US and his second visit to Washington. Modi's first trip was in September 2014, followed by one a year later in September last year. The Prime Minister arrived in Washington from Brussels after attending the EU-India Summit.

PTI