Strategic partnership is a new high in Saudi-India ties

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman being greeted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his arrival in India. (Indian Foreign Ministry)
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Updated 26 January 2020
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Strategic partnership is a new high in Saudi-India ties

  • Kingdom is a long-term, reliable partner in catering to India’s energy needs

JEDDAH: Last year marked the start of a new era in bilateral relations between India and Saudi Arabia, with two very successful high level visits. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited India in February, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to Saudi Arabia in October.

As a result, the relationship between the two countries was elevated to that of a strategic partnership.

The momentum for this evolution of the relationship began during Modi’s visit to the Kingdom in April 2016, during which he was presented with the Sash of King Abdul Aziz, the highest civilian decoration awarded by King Salman. 

This recognition was an indication of the importance the Kingdom attaches to its relations with India.

The momentum increased a year ago with the crown prince’s visit to India, during which he and Modi discussed prospects for bilateral cooperation in all fields, along with other issues of mutual interest.

The growing bilateral ties were reflected in the announcement of Saudi investments in India worth $100 billion, an increase in India’s Hajj quota from 170,000 to 200,000; the release of 850 Indian prisoners held in Saudi prisons for minor offenses, and the confirmation of India as one of the Kingdom’s strategic partner countries under Vision 2030, complete with a proposal to set up a high-level partnership council.

After an invitation by King Salman, Modi made an official visit to Riyadh in October last year. 

The two leaders underlined the close and friendly bilateral ties that are deep-rooted in the shared history of their nations, and which are sustained and nourished by a growing economic partnership, multifaceted cooperation and vibrant people-to-people contacts.

Modi also delivered a keynote address at the third session of the Future Investment Initiative, in which he reiterated India’s intention to work hand-in-hand with Saudi Arabia on Vision 2030.

Modi and the crown prince signed an agreement for the establishment of a joint Strategic Partnership Council, which they will lead. It will provide the framework under which bilateral cooperation across all sectors will be arranged.

Eleven other agreements were signed during Modi’s visit in a number of fields including security cooperation, defense industry collaboration, civil aviation, renewable energy, diplomatic institutions, anti-drug trafficking, strategic petroleum reserves, small and medium enterprises, stock exchanges and the launch of Rupay card.

Saudi Arabia is a long-time, reliable partner in catering to India’s energy needs. 

The Kingdom has been a leading supplier of crude oil for decades, and India imported 18 percent of its energy needs from Saudi Arabia in 2018/19. A steady supply of crude to India was maintained despite the attacks on oil installations in the Kingdom in September 2019.

Over the years, India and Saudi Arabia have progressed from a buyer-seller relationship to a strategic partnership in terms of prospective Saudi investments in the downstream energy sector. As a major step toward this, Saudi Aramco has ventured into India’s refinery business.

Indian Consortium, consisting of Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Aramco in April 2018 to jointly develop the $44 billion West Coast Refinery Petrochemical Project Limited in the state of Maharashtra. In June 2018, the UAE’s ADNOC signed an agreement with Aramco to become a partner in the development of the project. 

The 1.2 million barrels-per-day (bpd) greenfield integrated refinery and petrochemicals complex will be supplied with 600,000 bpd of Saudi crude.

Saudi Aramco also signed a memorandum of understanding with Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited in October last year to participate in India’s Strategic Petroleum Reserves. In addition, Aramco has been exploring ways to enter the Indian market through collaborations with the private sector, as well as acquiring stakes in Indian public sector undertakings under government’s disinvestment scheme.

Bilateral trade has been enhanced over the years, both in volume and composition. Saudi Arabia is India’s fourth-largest trading partner. In 2018-19, bilateral trade increased by 23.83 percent to $34.03 billion. During this period, India’s imports from the Kingdom reached $28.47 billion, a rise of 29 percent over the previous year, while exports to Saudi Arabia stood at $5.55 billion, an increase of 2.61 percent. Bilateral trade for the period from April to November last year is valued at $22.03 billion.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a keynote address at the third session of the Future Investment Initiative, in which he reiterated India’s intention to work hand-in-hand with Saudi Arabia on Vision 2030.

• Over the years, India and Saudi Arabia have progressed from a buyer-seller relationship to a strategic partnership in terms of prospective Saudi investments in the downstream energy sector.

Several major Indian companies operate in the Kingdom in a number of sectors. According to a recent report by the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority, in 2019, 140 Indian companies were granted licenses to enter the Saudi market, the highest for any single country.

Renewable energy is another sector in which there is a convergence of interests. India and Saudi Arabia have set an ambitious target for increasing the renewable energy content of their respective power-generation portfolios, and this warrants a strong partnership. In February last year, the Kingdom became the 73rd member of the International Solar Alliance. India and Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of renewable energy the following October.

Defense relations constitute a significant element of the shared strategic vision for the region, and are testimony to India’s strong ties with the Kingdom. In the extant regional and international geostrategic disposition, strategic relations between India and Saudi Arabia are progressing well.

Regular consultations on defense matters take place through established channels of cooperation, and a range of avenues have been explored and initiated. Rapid progress has been made through high-level visits by defense chiefs, expert exchange programs, training, delegation-level interactions, joint exercises.

There is also collaboration in counterterrorism efforts, regional maritime security, cybersecurity, joint defense manufacturing, in addition to a focus on mutual regional and international security issues.

Contacts between the peoples of the two countries come in a variety of forms, including cultural exchanges and Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. They form the bedrock of Indo-Saudi bilateral relations. The cultural similarities and the geographical proximity to India have made the Kingdom a preferred destination for Indians looking for employment opportunities in other countries. The 2.6 million-strong Indian diaspora is the largest expatriate community in the Saudi Arabia.

Two years after the landmark visit by Modi to Riyadh in 2016, India was named guest of honor at the 2018 edition of Janadriyah, the prestigious annual Saudi festival of culture and heritage.

The organization of Hajj pilgrims is the largest operation handled by Indian government outside of its own borders and is one of the key components of the bilateral relationship. 

Last year, a record 200,000 Indian pilgrims were able to realize the most cherished dream of their lives by successfully completing Hajj. India’s Hajj quota was increased from 170,000 during the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to India last February.


Shoura Council speaker leads Saudi delegation at Arab Parliament conference in Cairo

Updated 23 February 2025
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Shoura Council speaker leads Saudi delegation at Arab Parliament conference in Cairo

  • The conference focused on strengthening Arab parliamentary unity, with a key agenda item dedicated to supporting the Palestinian people

CAIRO: The Speaker of the Shoura Council, Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Al-Sheikh, led Saudi Arabia’s delegation at the Seventh Conference of the Arab Parliament and the Presidents of Arab Councils and Parliaments, held at the League of Arab States headquarters in Cairo on Saturday.

The conference focused on strengthening Arab parliamentary unity, with a key agenda item dedicated to supporting the Palestinian people and rejecting any proposals for their forced displacement.

As part of the discussions, participants worked on formulating a unified Arab parliamentary stance to advocate for Palestinian rights.

A significant outcome of the conference was the planned issuance of a unified Arab parliamentary action plan, which would outline concrete steps that Arab parliamentarians can take in support of the Palestinian cause.

Ahead of its official approval, the Presidents of Arab Councils and Parliaments held a closed consultative session to finalize the main aspects of the plan, which will later be submitted to the Arab Summit for potential adoption.

The Kingdom’s delegation to the conference included the Secretary-General of the Shoura Council, Mohammed bin Dakhil Al-Mutairi, along with council members Saad bin Salib Al-Otaibi, Tariq bin Saeed Al-Shammari, Hanan bint Abdullah Al-Sammari, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Aifan, and Amal bint Abdulaziz Al-Hazani, the Saudi Press Agency reported.


King Salman orders the naming of 15 Riyadh squares after Saudi imams and kings

Updated 22 February 2025
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King Salman orders the naming of 15 Riyadh squares after Saudi imams and kings

  • The initiative followed a proposal by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and coincides with Saudi Arabia’s celebration of Founding Day

RIYADH: King Salman on Saturday issued a directive to name 15 squares in Riyadh after notable imams and kings of the Saudi State, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The initiative followed a proposal by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and coincides with Saudi Arabia’s celebration of Founding Day on Feb. 22, SPA added.

The move reflects the leadership’s commitment to honoring the legacy of the rulers who, for more than three centuries, have played a pivotal role in the Kingdom’s foundation, unification, and development.

These leaders safeguarded Saudi Arabia’s resources, ensured its security, and contributed to the prosperity of its people.

The newly named squares, located along Riyadh’s main roads, will commemorate historical figures from the Saudi State, including Imam Muhammad bin Saud, Imam Abdulaziz bin Muhammad, Imam Saud bin Abdulaziz, Imam Abdullah bin Saud, Imam Turki bin Abdullah, Imam Faisal bin Turki, Imam Abdullah bin Faisal, and Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal.

The list also includes modern Saudi rulers King Abdulaziz, King Saud, King Faisal, King Khalid, King Fahd, King Abdullah, and King Salman.


Saudi embassy in Syria celebrates Founding Day

Updated 22 February 2025
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Saudi embassy in Syria celebrates Founding Day

  • Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Swaha held high-level meetings with senior executives from major global companies at the Future Investment Initiative in Miami

DAMASCUS: Saudi Arabia’s Embassy in the Syrian Arab Republic held a reception on the occasion of the Kingdom’s Founding Day at its headquarters in the Syrian capital, Damascus.

The celebration was attended by the Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Yasser Al-Jundi, members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Syria, and a group of businessmen and intellectuals, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Swaha held high-level meetings with senior executives from major global companies at the Future Investment Initiative in Miami to bolster partnerships in technology, artificial intelligence, investment and the space sector.

 


Saudi Arabia arrests 21,222 illegals in one week

Updated 22 February 2025
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Saudi Arabia arrests 21,222 illegals in one week

  • The Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to be facilitating illegal entry to the Kingdom could face imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years and a fine of up to SR1 million ($260,000)

RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested 21,222 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

A total of 13,202 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 4,911 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 3,109 for labor-related issues.

The report showed that among the 1,376 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 58 percent were Ethiopian, 40 percent Yemeni, and 2 percent were of other nationalities.

A further 86 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and 22 were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators, the SPA reported.

The Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to be facilitating illegal entry to the Kingdom could face imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years and a fine of up to SR1 million ($260,000).

Suspected violations can be reported on the toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions, and 999 or 996 in other regions of the Kingdom.

 


Saudi ministry hosts Qur’an finals in Indonesia

Updated 22 February 2025
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Saudi ministry hosts Qur’an finals in Indonesia

  • The top contestants advanced to the second qualifying round, held from Feb. 10-15, with 40 participants from each category competing for a spot in the finals

JAKARTA: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs, through the religious attache at the Kingdom’s Embassy in Indonesia, launched the final qualifiers for the national Holy Qur’an Memorization and Sunnah Competition in Kendari on Sunday.

The competition reached its final stage after preliminary qualifiers, involving 408 contestants from 169 Islamic institutions across 60 cities and provinces in 19 regions of eastern Indonesia, with initial rounds held from Feb. 1-7, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

The top contestants advanced to the second qualifying round, held from Feb. 10-15, with 40 participants from each category competing for a spot in the finals.

The competition reflects the ministry’s commitment to promoting the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, while enhancing the global prominence of Qur’an competitions.