On the auspicious occasion of the 61st Republic Day of India, I extend my warm greetings and best wishes to all Indians in Saudi Arabia. My pleasure is doubled as I commenced my second ambassadorial tenure in the Kingdom on the eve of Republic Day.
Relations between India and Saudi Arabia have grown stronger over the centuries due to mutual feeling of respect and affection between our peoples. The leaderships of both countries have also shown unwavering commitment to working toward further strengthening these historical bonds of friendship. Indians fondly remember the state visit of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to India in January 2006 when he described India as his “second home” and signed the historic “Delhi Declaration” which has provided a substantial road map for our bilateral ties.
The regular exchange of high-level visits from both sides has further reinforced our strong bilateral relations. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee visited the Kingdom in October 2009 to co-chair the 8th Indo-Saudi Joint Commission Meeting. Minister of State for Tourism Sultan Ahmed and Minister of State for Railways E. Ahamed also visited Saudi Arabia last year. The visits from Saudi side included those by Prince Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz, director general of General Intelligence Directorate, in January 2009 and Commerce Minister Abdullah Zainal Ali Reza in August 2009 as special envoy of King Abdullah.
Our strong economic ties are reflected in the steady growth of bilateral trade which reached $23 billion in 2008 and the visit of several business delegations during the year. Saudi Arabia continues to play an important role in our energy security, being the source of 25 percent of our oil imports. The unprecedented growth in Indian investment in Saudi Arabia over the recent years, having crossed $2 billion, also highlights our substantial economic ties. India is currently the fifth largest trading partner of Saudi Arabia and is the fourth largest market for Saudi exports.
The 8th Indo-Saudi Joint Commission Meeting held in Riyadh on Oct. 31, 2009, dealt with a number of bilateral issues, including cooperation in the field of commerce and industry, science and technology, hydrocarbons, agriculture, culture, security, tourism and consular matters. Both countries agreed to further liberalize the visa regime to facilitate greater exchange between the business communities in the two countries.
India and Saudi Arabia are witnessing a new and dynamic phase in their bilateral ties: There is increased cooperation in frontier technologies such as Information Services, Biotechnology, Nanotechnology and Space. India has one of the largest scientific and technical manpower in the world and is known for excellence of its knowledge-based industries. The development of the knowledge economy promises to be a major joint endeavor.
I would like to thank the Indian Diaspora in Saudi Arabia for their role in strengthening our bilateral relations. It is immensely satisfying to know that the Indian community in Saudi Arabia has registered a considerable increase, reaching 1.8 million at present. The Indian community continues to be the largest expatriate community in the Kingdom and is appreciated in Saudi society for its hard-working and law-abiding nature. Its contribution to the growth of Saudi economy has also been acknowledged by the Saudi leadership. We have recently strengthened the community welfare wing of the embassy to provide better services to Indians residing in the Kingdom.
Again, the setting up of Indian Community Welfare Fund last year will be of great help in dealing with problems faced by the Indian community.
Terrorism has emerged as one of the greatest challenges faced by humanity in the 21st century, and coordinated international efforts are needed to combat this menace. India and Saudi Arabia have suffered due to terrorism and are united in their fight against it. Both countries are currently negotiating two agreements to further strengthen existing security cooperation. I am confident that we would be able to defeat terrorism with our common resolve and coordinated actions.
India has always been supportive of the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to a homeland. The recent efforts by Saudi Arabia for the resumption of Middle East peace process are indeed commendable. India supports all international efforts aimed at achieving comprehensive and durable peace and appreciates the Saudi-proposed Arab Peace Initiative as a constructive framework for achieving wider peace and stability in the region.
I conclude with the confidence that Indo-Saudi relations would continue to flourish in times ahead with the active participation of the peoples and the governments of the two countries.
Jai Hind.
Talmiz Ahmad
Ambassador of India