Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to Saudi Arabia on Sunday is part of a diplomatic effort to pressurize Pakistan by establishing relations with some of Islamabad's closest allies, government officials said.

Modi is likely to sign trade agreements, including contracts to secure investment for infrastructure projects, and provide security and military cooperation, such as training and joint exercises, officials said.

Government officials called Modi's diplomatic push as an effort to "de-hyphenate" India from Pakistan, especially as New Delhi tries to take a bigger geopolitical role in Asia to counter China's control.

Stronger ties with Pakistan's allies can help India get a more considerate hearing on global and regional forums and pressurize Islamabad to control militants.

On Thursday, Saudi Arabia and the United States enforced joint sanctions targeting the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group accused of the 2008 attacks in Mumbai. In Washington on Friday, where Modi was participating in a summit on nuclear security, foreign ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup hailed the move.

Until now, India's ties with Saudi Arabia have been driven principally by trade and the Indian diaspora in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is India's top energy provider and home to more than 3.5 million Indian emigrants. Over the past few years, there has been mutual assistance on security between the two countries, with Riyadh deporting four most wanted absconders to India.

Modi will look to expand those ties, with one foreign ministry official saying healthcare, education, religious tourism and labour reforms would also be key discussion points.

Still, there are limits to what New Delhi can expect to achieve. The relationship between Pakistan and the Saudis dates back decades, based in their collective Sunni Muslim heritage.