Suhel Ajaz Khan named India’s new ambassador to Saudi Arabia: Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, an Indian Foreign Service employee from the 1997 batch who is now serving as the country’s ambassador to the Republic of Lebanon, has been chosen to serve as the country’s next ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He will replace Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, a 1989 batch IFS officer. Dr. Khan is expected to take up the assignment shortly.
India Saudi Arabia Relations
- Saudi Arabia which is the largest exporter of crude oil in the world and is the custodian of two of holiest mosques of Islam, Al Haram in Mecca and Al-Haram or forbidden mosques in Medina.
- In 2010, during Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s visit to Saudi Arabia, the two countries’ relationship was upgraded to a “Strategic Partnership.”
- During PM M0di visit to Saudi Arabia in 2019 Strategic Partnership Council Agreement was signed, which established a high-level council to steer the Indo-Saudi relationship.
- Saudi Arabia is India’s fourth largest trading partner after the United States of America, China and the United Arab Emirates.
- Saudi Arabia supplies more than 18% of India’s imports of crude oil. During April -December 2022, bilateral trade was valued at US$29.28 billion. During this period, India’s imports from Saudi Arabia were valued at US$22.65 billion and exports to Saudi Arabia were worth US$6.63 billion.
- There are about 22 lakhs Indians living in Saudi Arabia and they constitute the largest expatriate community in Saudi Arabia.
