India and Saudi Arabia have discussed the progress of their proposed electrical interconnection initiative and explored opportunities to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the power sector. The discussions were held during a virtual bilateral meeting between Shri Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Power, Government of India, and H.E. Eng. Nasser Al-Qahtani, Assistant Minister of Energy for Electricity Affairs, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The meeting reviewed the status of the proposed India–Saudi Arabia electrical interconnection project, which is expected to strengthen energy cooperation between the two countries. Both sides exchanged views on the way forward and highlighted the importance of continued engagement to advance the initiative.

The discussions also covered opportunities to expand cooperation in other areas of mutual interest in the power sector. Both countries emphasised technical collaboration, knowledge sharing and the exchange of best practices to address emerging challenges in electricity systems.

The Saudi Arabian delegation expressed interest in strengthening cooperation in Extra High Voltage (EHV) transmission systems. Discussions also covered technical and operational challenges associated with the increasing integration of renewable energy into electricity grids.

Both sides explored strategies to accommodate rising electricity demand from emerging data centres, which require reliable and efficient power infrastructure. Updating grid codes to meet changing power system requirements was another key area of interest.

The proposed electrical interconnection initiative represents an important opportunity for India and Saudi Arabia to deepen their energy partnership and explore greater cooperation in electricity transmission and grid development.

Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining constructive dialogue and continued engagement to advance bilateral cooperation. The discussions reflect their shared interest in exchanging technical expertise and developing solutions to support evolving power sector needs.