PM embarks on visit to Saudi Arabia

An extradition treaty and several other agreements are likely to be signed during his visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 28 years, which is packed with a heavy agenda. Indira Gandhi was the last Prime Minister to visit the oil-rich Kingdom in 1982.

Accompanying the prime minister is a high-level delegation including Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad, Minister for Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma, Minister for Petroleum and Gas Murli Deora, Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor, senior officials and a 25-member CEOs delegation from corporate India.

Several bilateral agreements covering areas of security, science and technology, culture and media are expected to be signed during the course of the visit.
The prime minister's visit comes four years after the historic visit of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz to India in 2006.

Noting that his visit carries "special significance", Singh said in his departure statement that the Gulf region is an area of vital importance for New Delhi's security and prosperity.
"There is great scope for opening new frontiers of cooperation in the areas of security, defence, science and technology, space, human resources development and knowledge- based industries," he said.

The Prime Minister said he will hold talks with King Abdullah on "how we can promote greater stability and security in the region, and impart a strategic character to our relations beyond the traditional areas of our cooperation".

The Prime Minister said he believed India and Saudi Arabia have "much to gain by cooperating with each other in combating extremism and terrorism".

"I expect to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and other regional issues of mutual interest," he said, adding he has a "vast agenda" for discussions with the Saudi leadership.

Observing that his visit reflected the strong mutual desire of both countries to reinvigorate the ties, Singh said India and Saudi Arabia have enjoyed special relations based on several millennia of civilisational and cultural linkages and people to people exchanges.

The Kingdom is India's largest and "most reliable" supplier of energy needs from the region, he said, adding Saudi Arabia is home to about 1.8 million Indian community people. As many as 1,65,000 Indian pilgrims perform the Haj annually, he said.
Though the trade and investment linkages have grown, they remain much below the potential of two economies and must be broad-based, said Singh, heading a high-level business delegation of CEOs including Mukesh Ambani of RIL, Essar's Shashi Ruia and IT poster boys Azim Premji and S Ramadorai.

Bilateral trade between the two countries during 2008-09 exceeded USD 25 billion.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor are part of the delegation.

Singh's visit comes four years after the landmark visit of King Abdullah who was the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations here in 2006.

The Prime Minister said the Delhi Declaration the two countries signed on that occasion constituted a valuable blueprint for future cooperation between the two countries.
During his visit, Singh will also address the influential Shoura Council, a unique honour bestowed upon select dignitaries.

Before leaving Riyadh, Singh will address the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry as also interact with a cross section of the Indian community there.