India, Saudi Arabia ink pact to boost official travels, bilateral exchanges

Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Suhel Ajaz Khan and Abdulmajeed bin Rashed Alsmari, Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, signed the bilateral Visa Waiver Agreement.

The move aims to facilitate the movement under the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council.

In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia stated, "Enhancing the Strategic Partnership! Ambassador Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan and H.E. Abdulmajeed bin Rashed Alsmari, Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia signed the bilateral Visa Waiver Agreement for holders of diplomatic, special and official passports, today in Riyadh. The agreement will facilitate official travels and boost bilateral exchanges under the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council."

Earlier on December 5, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced that the Parliament of India will soon constitute the India-Saudi Arabia Parliamentary Friendship Group.

The announcement came during a meeting with a high-level delegation led by Major General Abdul Rahman bin Sanhat Al-Harbi, Chairman of the Saudi-India Parliamentary Friendship Committee from the Shura Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who called on the Speaker in Parliament House.

Welcoming the delegation, Birla emphasised that parliamentary diplomacy is a critical bridge between nations, enabling deeper understanding, the exchange of best practices, and stronger institutional collaboration. He called for regular engagement between parliamentary committees of both countries.

The Speaker highlighted the centuries-old religious, cultural, and economic connections between India and Saudi Arabia, observing that sustained high-level exchanges over the last decade have elevated the partnership across defence, energy, capacity building, and emerging strategic sectors.

Birla expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia's continued support of the large Indian community in the Kingdom. He noted that the Indian diaspora has earned global respect for its hard work, discipline, and contributions to the local economy.