抖阴短视频

RIYADH: Ahmad Javed, the Indian ambassador in Riyadh, believes the visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to India will be a landmark event in the history of 鈥渙ur high-level bilateral engagements and they will certainly take an upward strategic direction.鈥�

Talking exclusively to Arab News at the Indian Embassy in the Riyadh Diplomatic Quarter, the ambassador expressed his joy at the upcoming visit. 鈥淚 began my posting as ambassador in 抖阴短视频 with the visit of the Indian prime minister to Riyadh in April 2016, and I am happy that the visit of the Crown Prince will be my last assignment before ending my time in 抖阴短视频.鈥�

The friendly relationship between India and 抖阴短视频 is deeply rooted in a shared history that has been nurtured by personal relationships, said Javed. These links have been further strengthened by the development of trade and commercial ties.

鈥淭he historic visit by King Saud to India in 1955 and, prior to that, Crown Prince Faisal鈥檚 preparatory visit, plus the reciprocal visit by the first Prime Minister of Independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, to the Kingdom in 1956, laid the strong foundation for our formal interactions,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he visit of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to 抖阴短视频 in 1982 further improved our bilateral relations.鈥�

Such important official visits have continued, said Javed, and the relationship between the nations has evolved and developed as a result.

鈥淚n recent times, the historic visit of King Abdullah to India in 2006 resulted in the signing of the 鈥楧elhi Declaration,鈥� which gave a fresh momentum to the bilateral relationship,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he visit provided the framework for cooperation in many fields of mutual interest. The reciprocal visit by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Riyadh in 2010 raised the level of bilateral engagement to 鈥榮trategic partnership,鈥� and the 鈥楻iyadh Declaration,鈥� signed during the visit, captured the spirit of enhanced cooperation in the areas of politics, economics, security and defense.鈥�

The relationship deepened in 2014, he added, when a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation was signed during a visit to India by King Salman, who was at that time the crown prince.

Most recently, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Riyadh in April 2016.

鈥淭he visit...was a turning point in our growing engagement with 抖阴短视频,鈥� said Javed. 鈥淒uring the visit, a joint statement highlighting the various aspects of our relationship was issued, which involved signing a number of cooperation agreements and MoUs.鈥�

He believes the visit by the crown prince will continue the trend of increased cooperation.

鈥淒uring the visit, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will have important discussions with the president, vice president, prime minister and senior ministers of the government of India, on key areas of strategic cooperation such as science and technology, agriculture, space, security, defense, maritime, counterterrorism, plus trade and investment,鈥� he said. 鈥淪everal cooperation agreements/MoUs/programs are also expected to be finalized.鈥�

India views 抖阴短视频 as a friend and part of its 鈥渆xtended neighborhood,鈥� said Javed.

鈥淢ore than 7 million Indians work in the Gulf region,鈥� he said. 鈥湺兑醵淌悠� and the other GCC states have been the time-tested, reliable source of our energy security. The security, stability and prosperity of the region are of great importance to us.

鈥淲e attach great priority to our friendly relations with 抖阴短视频. Our traditionally close ties are anchored in shared interests based on centuries-old economic and sociocultural ties, as well as vibrant people-to-people contacts.鈥�

Trade and business links form an important part of the bilateral relationship, said Javed. 抖阴短视频 is India鈥檚 fourth-largest trade partner and about 17 percent of India鈥檚 crude-oil requirement is supplied by the Kingdom, he explained.

鈥淚n 2017-18, India-Saudi bilateral trade increased by 9.56 percent to $27.48 billion,鈥� said Javed. 鈥淒uring this period, our imports from 抖阴短视频 reached $22.06 billion, an increase of 10.5 percent over the previous year. Our exports to 抖阴短视频 were $5.41 billion, an increase of 5.88 percent over the previous year.鈥�

Indian information technology companies, such as TCS, WIPRO and Tech Mahindra, work with Saudi ministries and businesses and contribute in a big way to training Saudi youth, especially women, in line with the objectives of the Kingdom鈥檚 Vision 2030, he said.

The growing cooperation between the two countries extends beyond trade and commerce.

鈥淒efense ties received a major boost after the signing of an MoU on Defense cooperation...in February 2014,鈥� said Javed.

鈥淭he India-抖阴短视频 Joint Committee on Defense Cooperation (JCDC) meets regularly; its fourth meeting was held in Riyadh on Jan. 2-3, 2019, and identified credible activities towards defense cooperation to further bolster the ties.

鈥淒elegation-level exchanges take place regularly between the defense ministries of the two countries. Two groups of five officer cadets are currently undergoing training at the National Defense Academy in India. One officer is also at the prestigious National Defense College.鈥�

India recognizes the significance of Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program, said Javed, and the opportunities it offers to attract investment in India.

鈥淭he Saudi minister of energy, industry and mineral resources visited India several times during 2018 and held a series of discussions,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he Saudi oil giant, Aramco, has signed an MoU with an Indian consortium...to jointly develop the $44 billion Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemical Project Limited on a 50/50 basis.

鈥淪ince June 2018, Saudi (company) Al-Fanar has been constructing a 300 megawatt power project in Kutch worth $300 million, with the project expected to be completed by 2020. In October 2018, Saudi Aramco signed an MoU...with Mumbai-based GumPro to set up a drilling-fluids facility. A number of other investment projects are also being considered, including in our National Investment and Infrastructure Fund.鈥�

The role that Indian workers play in the development and growth of the Kingdom is a source of pride, said Javed, and they play a key role in strengthening the links between the two countries.

鈥湺兑醵淌悠� is home to an Indian community of more than 2.7 million,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he Kingdom has the largest number of Indian-passport holders outside the mother country. It is a matter of great satisfaction that the contributions made by Indians in the development of the Kingdom is well acknowledged and appreciated by the Saudi leadership, as well as by its people.

鈥淚 express my sincere gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for hosting this large Indian community and also for the excellent services provided by the Saudi authorities to Hajj and Umrah pilgrims from India.鈥�

As 抖阴短视频 increasingly opens up to arts and culture as part of the process of reform that is underway, there are also increasing opportunities for cultural exchange programs.

鈥淚t is a great honor that India was accorded the privilege of being the 鈥楪uest of Honor鈥� at the 32nd Janadriyah Festival, the National Festival of Heritage and Culture of the Kingdom of 抖阴短视频, in 2018,鈥� said Javed.

鈥淭he cooperation extended to us, and the interest shown by the Saudi leadership, was unprecedented. Apart from formal inauguration of our pavilion by King Salman in the presence of our external affairs minster, the Indian Pavilion was also visited by a number of ministers, Shoura Council members, royal family members, senior Government officials and huge crowds of people.鈥�

Javed believes that the relationship between the Kingdom and India will continue to thrive.

鈥淭he state visit of the crown prince to India will not only give fresh momentum to our deep-rooted cordial relations, but also take them to greater heights with a clear reflection of the enhanced importance assigned to India by the Kingdom of 抖阴短视频.鈥�