Swaraj meets Saudi Minister of National Guards

External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj met with the Minister of National Guards Prince Khalid bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf Al Muqrin in Riyadh on Thursday.

Earlier, the External Affairs Minister met Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz who inaugurated the prestigious annual National Heritage and Culture Festival 'Janadriyah'.

Speaking at the inaugural function, Sushma Swaraj thanked Saudi Arabia for according the honour and recalled the landmark visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Kingdom in April 2016 which "gave a strong impetus to the bilateral partnership."

The minister added that this Festival "provides an opportunity to showcase and further build upon this relationship."

The India Pavilion mounted on the occasion is based on the theme "Saudi ka Dost Bharat". The statement stated that it showcases the core values and traditions of India and presents a kaleidoscope of India's vibrant culture through a colourful dance and music extravaganza.

Swaraj also held bilateral discussions with the Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir and discussed a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.

The Minister also addressed a large gathering of Indian community on February 6.

About 3.2 million strong and vibrant Indian community in Saudi Arabia forms the largest expatriate group. Saudi Arabia is also the fourth largest trading partner for India with bilateral trade exceeding USD 25 billion in 2016-17.