India, April 22 -- India and Saudi Arabia have a shared interest in promoting regional peace, security and stability, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday as he began a two-day visit to the kingdom that is expected to bolster trade and defence relations.

The two countries have developed a mutually beneficial and substantive partnership in the domains of defence, trade, investment, energy and people-to-people ties, and India deeply values its ties with Saudi Arabia that have "acquired strategic depth and momentum in recent years", Modi said in a statement ahead of his departure.

"We have shared interest and commitment to promote regional peace, prosperity, security and stability," he said.

"Leaving for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, wher...