JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia and India share common perceptions or regional and global economic and strategic issues, and see each other as potential strategic partners, Indian Consul General Sayeed Ahmed Baba said here on Monday night.
“I do hope that in the years to come, the two countries will emerge as strong partners and work together for global peace and security,” Baba said in his address at the official party he hosted to mark India’s Republic Day.
Ambassador Mohammad Ahmad Tayyab, director general, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Makkah Region, was the chief guest. A number of officials, diplomats, businessmen and community members were present.
Congratulating the Saudi agencies on a very smooth and incident-free completion of Haj 2008, Baba said: “Indeed, the government of Saudi Arabia leaves no stone unturned to provide the best possible facilities to the guests of Allah.”
He also thanked the Ministry of Haj, the South Asian Moassasa and all other Saudi agencies and establishments for extending their wholehearted cooperation and support to the Indian Haj Mission and helping it in making excellent arrangements for the pilgrims.
There has been a steady exchange of high-level visits between the two countries, both at the government and private levels, in the past couple of years, he said, adding that such exchanges are expected to further expand in the coming months, thereby giving a further boost to the bilateral ties.
According to Baba, India’s bilateral trade with the Kingdom now exceeds $23 billion. India continues to remain one of the top five destinations for Saudi exports. India’s exports to the Kingdom have registered an impressive growth of over 43.39 percent last year, Baba said. “I am also happy to note that considerable efforts have been made by both sides to forge greater interaction and understanding at the people-to-people level,” he added.
