In response to reports that Saudi Arabia's 88-year-old King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is undergoing treatment for lung inflammation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday conveyed his profound worry for the monarch's health.
"Deeply concerned by the health reports of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud," Modi said on X. "May the people of India and I wish him a swift and complete recovery."
As to the Saudi official news agency, King Salman is receiving medical attention at Al Salam Palace in Jeddah following the discovery of lung inflammation during tests. Antibiotics will be administered to him until the inflammation goes down.
Due to a high fever and joint pain, the Saudi king had medical testing earlier on Sunday at the royal clinics at Al Salam Palace. This comes after a routine check-up at the hospital in April. Since January 2015, when his half-brother King Abdullah passed away, King Salman has ruled over Saudi Arabia. Significant reforms have taken place in Saudi Arabia during his leadership, most notably with the implementation of the Vision 2030 plan, which aims to diversify the economy and lessen the kingdom's reliance on oil.
The de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, decided to postpone his planned four-day trip to Japan due to King Salman's health issues.
Following a press conference in Tokyo, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi of Japan confirmed the postponement, stating, "Saudi Arabia informed the Japanese government that due to the health condition of King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed's visit, which had been scheduled to begin on the 20th, had to be postponed."
MBS met with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Sunday to talk about the Gaza conflict and the "nearly final version" of draft strategic agreements between Saudi Arabia and the US, according to SPA. This was before news of the king's declining health broke. According to Bloomberg, "the two nations are getting close to signing a historic agreement that would provide security guarantees to the kingdom and provide a potential route for diplomatic relations with Israel".
