Swaraj will begin her Saudi tour today

NEW DELHI (India): Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj is paying her first official visit to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia from today up till February 8th, 2018, whereat Swaraj will participate at the inauguration of the prestigious national heritage and culture festival ‘Janadriyah’ being held in Saudi Arabia, at which India is the guest of honour country.

According to an official statement, during the visit, she will meet with the Saudi leadership to discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.

India and Saudi Arabia have historic and friendly relations. The landmark visit of Indian prime minister (PM) Narendra Modi to Saudi Arabia in April 2016 gave a strong impetus to the mutually beneficial strategic ties.

Saudi Arabia is the fourth largest trading partner for India with bilateral trade exceeding $25 billion in 2016-17. As India’s largest supplier of crude oil, Saudi Arabia accounts for about 20 percent of India’s total annual imports.

About 3.2 million strong and vibrant Indian community forms the largest expatriate group in Saudi Arabia. Their positive and well-appreciated contribution in the development of their host country has been an important element of our bilateral engagement.