On the auspicious occasion of 78th Independence Day of India, I extend my warmest greetings to the Indian community, persons of Indian origin, and friends of India in Saudi Arabia

by Dr. Amb. Suhel Ajaz Khan

Aug. 15, 1947 marks a historic moment in India’s journey, when the yoke of colonialism was discarded, embracing freedom and opportunity for the people of India. Since that day, India has come a long way, one that has made India the fifth-largest economy, and in the process creating a vibrant, dynamic and inclusive society.

On this day, we remember all those who fought for India’s freedom with great courage and determination, and also salute our brave soldiers, who continue to guard our frontiers, and the many who have over the years sacrificed their lives protecting our motherland.

India takes pride in its civilizational roots, and our cultural ethos, while embracing the world. The country has held fast to the concept of the “Vasudhaive Kutumbakam,” meaning thereby that the world is one family. This has been the guiding theme of our approach to the world, that India is a Vishwabandhu — a friend to the world.

At home, India’s economic growth has transformed the lives of millions of its citizens, setting it on the path to becoming Viksit Bharat, a developed India, by the 100th year of our independence in 1947. From infrastructure to defense, from rural development to social welfare, tangible changes in the quality of life and the delivery of public services have helped drive innovation and expand opportunities. Our educational and scientific prowess, including space faring capabilities, have placed India among a select few nations in technological advancement.

Independence Day is also an occasion to celebrate our special friendships. India and Saudi Arabia have a long history of friendly and cordial ties. The strong relationship between both countries is reflected in the mutual trust, cooperation across diverse sectors, and people-to-people contacts.

The contribution of the 2.6 million-strong Indian community in Saudi Arabia has played a significant role in strengthening the relations between the two countries. The diaspora is a living bridge, and has excelled in various walks of life, demonstrating the value they bring to both countries.

Over the last year, the Indian Embassy was able to bring together the diverse diaspora for a special event called Pravasi Parichay that showcased its cultural and artistic strength. It is also a matter of pride that last year, when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited India, he made a special mention of the community, mentioning that Saudi Arabia considered them to be part of its family.

The visit last September by the crown prince and his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked an important milestone in the growth of the strategic partnership. The first meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council infused energy into the ties, and was the beginning of a series of bilateral visits from both sides.

From the Indian side, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, Power Minister R.K. Singh, Minister for Minority Affairs Smriti Irani, Minister of State for Tourism Shripad Naik, Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan and Minister of State for Defense Ajay Bhatt were among those who visited Saudi Arabia and held discussions with the Saudi side on a variety of different subjects. Both in the context of G20 and bilaterally, a number of Saudi ministers and senior officials traveled to India as well. There has hardly been a month when a high-level ministerial or official engagement did not take place.

The economic partnership is a key element of India-Saudi ties. Over the past few years, there has been a significant leap in trade and investment. Bilateral trade between India and Saudi Arabia has been on an upward trajectory, driven by mutual economic interests and strategic collaborations. India is the Kingdom’s second-largest trading partner, while Saudi is India’s fourth largest. Energy constitutes a key element of trade, but in recent years, the trade basket has seen significant diversification. In the 2023-24 financial year, bilateral trade was valued at $43.37 billion, of which India’s exports amounted to $11.56 billion, and imports were valued at $31.81 billion.

As both countries have undertaken reforms, the ease of doing business has improved significantly. This has been reflected in the bilateral investment figures, and in the sectors of interest. New avenues of cooperation in sectors such as information technology, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, renewable energy, etc, have become prominent. Recent high-level visits and agreements have underscored a shared commitment to deepen economic engagement. A high-level task force co-chaired by Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman and Indian Prime Minister's Principal Secretary P.K. Misra met in July 2024 to finalize a roadmap for accelerating investments.

Today, there are more than 2,900 Indian companies in Saudi Arabia which have invested about $3 billion in the Kingdom and are playing a significant role in the development of Saudi Vision 2030. Indian companies have a strong presence across engineering, information technology, and construction sectors in Saudi Arabia.

The economic partnership has been further strengthened by the announcement of the India Middle East Economic Corridor at the G20 Summit last year. IMEEC will bring India and the Gulf region together through connectivity projects in logistics, data, renewable energy and more. It is a vision of shared prosperity and economic growth among India, Saudi Arabia and its other partners based on connectivity and synergies across various sectors.

In the past decade, defense cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia has been strengthened. A number of delegations have visited and a number of officers from the Saudi side have been offered various training slots in India. Among the major areas of defense and security cooperation is maritime cooperation, in which both countries have played a significant role in ensuring the region’s overall maritime security.

Bilateral engagements by the Royal Saudi Naval Forces with the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard have witnessed a surge, with regular goodwill visits by Indian ships to Saudi Arabia and bilateral naval exercises. Engagements of both the land forces have increased, with the first-of-its-kind joint exercise “Sada Tanseeq” conducted in India this year. Participation of the Royal Saudi Air Force in the Indian Air Force multinational exercise “Tarang Shakti” this year further strengthened the bond between the two countries.

Both countries recognize each other as natural partners in addressing regional security challenges. Initiatives in combating terrorism, maritime security, and defense manufacturing have further strengthened the defense relationship between the two countries. India had a strong delegation at the Riyadh World Defense Show in February 2024, and signed a landmark deal for the export of munitions to Saudi Arabia.

The organization of the Hajj pilgrimage is an extremely important part of our bilateral ties. With the support of the Saudi government, this year, a total of 175,025 Indian pilgrims performed Hajj. I thank the excellent work undertaken by the government of Saudi Arabia to ensure the welfare and comfort of the pilgrims and the continued changes that have been undertaken to streamline the processes of Hajj, and to ensure the comfort and safety of the pilgrims.

As ambassador of India to Saudi Arabia, I am committed to further strengthen the relationship between the two countries. On behalf of the government, people of India and the Indian diaspora in the Kingdom, I take this opportunity to extend my best wishes to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the sustained peace, progress, and prosperity of Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan is India’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia