Saudi Arabia: India and reach a deal to increase bilateral and official travel
Saudi Arabia: The bilateral visa waiver agreement was signed by Abdulmajeed bin Rashed Alsmari, Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs in Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Suhel Ajaz Khan, the Indian ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
The action is intended to support the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council initiative.
The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia wrote on X, “Strengthening the Strategic Alliance! The bilateral Visa Waiver Agreement for holders of diplomatic, special, and official passports was signed today in Riyadh by Ambassador Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan and H.E. Abdulmajeed bin Rashed Alsmari, Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As part of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council, the agreement would expedite official travel and enhance bilateral interactions.
The Indian Parliament will shortly form the India-Saudi Arabia Parliamentary Friendship Group, according to a statement made earlier on December 5 by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
The statement was made when the Speaker was visited in Parliament House by a high-level delegation headed by Major General Abdul Rahman bin Sanhat Al-Harbi, Chairman of the Saudi-India Parliamentary Friendship Committee from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Shura Council.
Birla welcomed the team and emphasized the importance of parliamentary diplomacy as a means of fostering better understanding, the sharing of best practices, and more robust institutional cooperation between countries. He urged frequent interaction between the two nations’ legislative committees.
The Speaker emphasized the centuries-old religious, cultural, and economic ties between Saudi Arabia and India, noting that the alliance has grown in defense, energy, capacity development, and emerging key areas as a result of consistent high-level interactions over the last ten years.
Birla expressed gratitude for Saudi Arabia’s ongoing assistance to the Kingdom’s sizable Indian population. He pointed out that the Indian diaspora has gained recognition around the world for its diligence, self-control, and economic accomplishments.