India, April 22 -- In a special gesture, fighter planes from Saudi Arabia escorted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plane as it entered the Saudi airspace to Jeddah on Tuesday, April 22, on the first visit by any Indian PM to the port city in 40 years.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aircraft was escorted by F-15s of the Royal Saudi Air Force in the Saudi airspace. Follow PM Modi Saudi visit LIVE updates

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took off for his Saudi Arabia visit on Tuesday morning on the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

In his departure statement ahead of his two-day visit to the kingdom, PM Modi said India deeply values its long and historic ties with Saudi Arabia, asserting that their relations have acquired a strat...