Saudi Foreign Affairs minister visiting India

The Saudi Minister would call on Vice President Krishan Kant and External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh besides holding delegation-level talks with Minister of State Ajit Kumar Panja. He will also have a meeting with Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha Najma Heptulla.

A senior foreign official said the visit marked an "important beginning" to high-level political interaction. On the economic front, both sides are examining prospects of enhancing cooperation in high tech areas like information technology, communications and space. The two countries are putting in place a bilateral investment protection and promotion agreement and firming up a treaty to jointly combat terrorism and drug trafficking. A memorandum of understanding on foreign office consultations is also being worked out.

Significantly, Saudi Arabia, which has consistently endorsed Pakistan’s stand on the Kashmir issue relating to right to self determination and implementation of UN resolutions, has in the recent past stressed on dialogue between India and Pakistan and a peaceful resolution to the issue, a position repeatedly stressed by New Delhi. Riyadh has also been critical of the military coup in Pakistan and the Kargil incursions, which it feels were un-Islamic.

Saudi Arabia, hit by terrorist bombings in Riyadh, has come out strongly against terrorism in all shapes. It has also expressed concern at the developments in Afghanistan and the support by Taliban forces to terrorist activities. The official said besides cooperation in the energy sector, joint ventures in downstream areas and projects in third countries would help further strengthen bilateral ties between India and Saudi Arabia in coming years.

Indian companies have established more than 20 joint ventures in the kingdom in different sectors ranging from management and consultancy services to consumer goods and telecommunications. The total trade between India and Saudi Arabia is to the tune of 2.6 billion US dollars with an equal amount coming in as remittances. While Indian exports to the kingdom include rice, yarn, fabrics, cotton ready-made garments and accessories, plastic and linoleum products, imports include organic and inorganic chemicals, fertilizers and non-ferrous metals.