Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded a two-day trip to Jordan on Tuesday — meeting members of the royal family and holding bilateral talks with the King. Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II also drove him to the Jordan Museum on Tuesday — viewed as a special gesture reflecting the warmth of ties between India and the Arab nation. But the ties between the two countries go deeper with a key royal being born in modern-day Kolkata.
Three nation trip
Modi had reached Amman on Monday for a two-day visit at the invitation of King Abdullah II. The two countries also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora (aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship) during the trip. Jordan was the first leg of a three-nation tour that has since taken Modi to Ethiopia. He will also visit Oman later this week.
Who is Princess Sarvath El Hassan?
The former Crown Princess of Jordan was born in Calcutta mere weeks before the partition. Sarvath Ikramullah was educated in Britain and eventually met Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan through overlapping diplomatic circles in London.