After Pakistan, MBS will travel to India, where he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Saudi Arabia is also making strategic adjustments, and Asia is the new main direction of Saudi diplomacy," he said. "China is the largest buyer of Saudi crude, and Saudi Arabia's other largest clients are all Asian: India, Japan, South Korea," said Dorsey. Saudi Arabia is not the only Gulf state to pivot east, she added -- for all of them, it is a "logical shift". Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are both involved in a months-long push led by Washington aimed at ending the conflict in Afghanistan.

Source: Bangkok Post February 17, 2019 03:22 UTC