India, Saudi Arabia raise ties to strategic partnership, sign extradition treaty

India and Saudi Arabia have decided to raise their cooperation to a strategic partnership covering security, economic, defence and political areas and signed as many as ten agreements, including an Extradition Treaty and an Agreement for Transfer of Sentenced Persons.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the King of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud signing the documents of the Riyadh Declaration in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 28, 2010.

At talks in Riyadh yesterday between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud, the two countries renewed their condemnation of terrorism, extremism and violence, affirming that they were global phenomena that threatened all societies and not linked to any race, colour or belief.

The two leaders noted that tolerance, religious harmony and brotherhood, irrespective of faith or ethnic background, were part of the principles and values of both countries. These are the same principles advocated by the initiative of King Abdullah for dialogue among different faiths and beliefs, they said.

In the Riyadh Declaration signed by the two leaders after their talks, they said the international community must resolutely combat terrorism. The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in exchange of information relating to terrorist activities, money laundering, narcotics, arms and human trafficking, and to develop joint strategies to combat these threats.

In this context, they welcomed the signing of the Extradition Treaty and the Agreement for Transfer of Sentenced Persons. The other agreements signed between the two sides during the visit were in the field of Research and Education, Information Technology and Services, Science and Technology, and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.

Dr Singh reached Riyadh on February 27 on a three-day visit that is the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Saudi Arabia in 28 years after the last visit by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1982.

In January 2006, King Abdullah had paid a state visit to India, the first visit by a Saudi ruler to this country in half a decade. During that landmark visit, he was the Chief Guest at India's Republic Day celebrations.

Dr Singh was accompanied on the visit by his wife, Ms Gursharan Kaur, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor and senior officials.

During his visit, Dr Singh addressed the Majlis al-Shoura and met the Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal, Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Ali bin Ibrahim al Naimi and Commerce and Industry Minister Zainal Ali Reza who called on him for discussions on various bilateral issues.

An honorary doctorate was conferred upon the Prime Minister by the King Saud University.

According to the declaration, Dr Singh and the Saudi monarch held in-depth discussions on a wide range of issues in an atmosphere of utmost warmth, cordiality, friendship and transparency. They asserted that strong bilateral ties between Saudi Arabia and India were to the benefit of their peoples and of all humanity.

Both leaders felt that King Abdullah's visit to India in 2006 and the curent visit of Dr Singh to Saudi Arabia heralded a new era in Saudi-India relations, that is in keeping with the changing realities and unfolding opportunities of the 21st century. This would be in accordance with the civilizational, historic and cultural links which bind them and their regions, they said.

Dr Singh and King Abdullah reviewed the progress in the implementation of the historic Delhi Declaration they signed on January 27, 2006 and expressed satisfaction at the steady expansion of bilateral relations since then. They re-emphasized the importance of full implementation of the Delhi Declaration through exchange of visits at the ministerial, official, business, academia, media and other levels.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the King of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud exchanging the signed documents of the Riyadh Declaration in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 28, 2010.

The statement said the two countries reiterated their mutual desire to develop as knowledge-based economies based on advances in the areas of information technology, space science and other frontier technologies.

The Prime Minister and King Abdullah emphasized the importance of developing a broad-based economic partnership that reflects the ongoing transformation of their economies, and the changes such transformation are bringing about in the global economic order, including continuous coordination within the framework of the G-20 process. They welcomed the outcome of the 8th Session of the India-Saudi Arabia Joint Commission for Economic, Trade, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation held in Riyadh in October last year.

The two leaders stressed on the need for continuing to work towards strengthening their strategic partnership by meeting the two countries' vast requirements relating to infrastructure, energy and development, by augmenting the flow of their investments into each other’s countries, and enhancing the bilateral trade in accordance with the potential and size of their economies.

In this regard, they invited the private sector in the two countries and the Saudi–India Business Council to increase their efforts to take advantage of the investment opportunities provided by the two countries.

The two leaders emphasised the importance of strengthening the strategic energy partnership based on complimentarity and interdependence, including meeting India's increasing requirement of crude oil supplies, and identifying and implementing specific projects for cooperation, including in the areas of new and renewable energy. India invited Saudi Arabia to participate in crude storage facilities in India. The two leaders directed their Joint Working Group on Energy to continue adopting all appropriate means to achieve these objectives.

King Abdullah and Dr Singh agreed on the role and importance of the youth in consolidating and strengthening the relations between their peoples, and directed the concerned authorities to prepare necessary programmes for activating this role and also provide all necessary facilities to their students studying in each other's countries.

The two leaders mandated the Saudi-India Joint Commission to continue follow-up of the implementation of the Riyadh Declaration to build the strategic partnership between the two countries.

They welcomed the level of existing cooperation in the field of defence and agreed to continue strengthening these ties in a way that realized their common interests.

Turning to regional and international issues, Dr Singh and King Abdullah reviewed ongoing efforts and the latest developments in the Middle East. They expressed hope for the early resumption of the peace process in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, and the Arab Peace Plan with a view to address all the key issues of the dispute comprehensively and within a definite timeframe leading to the establishment of a sovereign, independent, united and viable Palestinian State, in accordance with the two state solution.

According to the declaration, the two leaders emphasized that continued building of settlements by Israel constituted a fundamental stumbling block for the peace process.

The two leaders emphasized the importance of regional and international efforts focusing on making the Middle East and Gulf Region free of all nuclear weapons and all weapons of mass destruction.

The statement said the two leaders reiterated their support for ongoing international efforts to resolve the issues relating to Iran’s nuclear programme peacefully through dialogue and called for continuation of these efforts. They encouraged Iran to respond to those efforts in order to remove regional and international doubts about its nuclear programme, especially as these ensure the right of Iran and other countries to peaceful uses of nuclear energy according to the yardsticks and procedures of International Atomic Energy Agency and under its supervision.

Dr Singh and King Abdullah discussed the situation in Afghanistan and called for the preservation of the strife-torn’s sovereignty and independence. They expressed their full support for the efforts aimed at helping Afghanistan to develop its infrastructure and achieve social and economic development. They supported the efforts of the people of Afghanistan to achieve stability and security, protected from exploitation by the terrorist organizations, while upholding the values and principles of the Constitution of Afghanistan.

The two leaders discussed the situation in Iraq and expressed hope that the forthcoming elections will enable Iraqis to realize their aspirations by achieving security and stability, strengthening territorial integrity and consolidating its national unity on the principle of equality of rights and obligations among all Iraqis irrespective of their faith and sect.

Dr Singh expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the excellent efforts made and services provided by the Saudi authorities to the Haj and Umra pilgrims from India, the statement added.

NNN