1. Suhel Ajaz Khan appointed India's new ambassador to Saudi Arabia
Tags: Person in news
The Government of India has appointed senior diplomat Suhel Ajaz Khan as India’s new ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Suhel Ajaz Khan is a 1997-batch Indian Foreign Service officer and is presently serving as Indian ambassador to Lebanon.
Khan worked at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh between September 2017 and June 2019 as Deputy Chief of Mission.
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.
During the visit of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to Saudi Arabia in 2010 elevated the India-Saudi Arabia tie to ‘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.
More than 18% of India’s crude oil imports are sourced from Saudi Arabia. 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.
Capital of Saudi Arabia: Riyadh
Currency: Saudi Riyal
King of Saudi Arabia: King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
2. Indians no longer need police clearance for Saudi Arabia visas
Tags: National International News
The Saudi Arabian embassy in India has announced that it will exempt Indian nationals from submitting a police clearance certificate (PCC) while applying to travel to the country. Over two million Indian citizens live in Saudi Arabia. The new rule would make visa application processing faster and easier for the Indians visiting Saudi Arabia.
According to the Saudi embassy this decision was taken as a part of the efforts of the two countries to further strengthen their relations.
A police clearance certificate is a document that Indian nationals willing to go abroad for employment, residential status, or long-term visa need to apply for if required by the visa of the destination country. The document helps in knowing the criminal record of the person.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is a West Asian kingdom founded by Ibn Saud in 1923. The country is known for its oil and Islam.
- According to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2020, Saudi Arabia has the world’s 2nd largest oil reserves in the world after Venezuela.
- At present it is the world's largest exporter of crude oil.
- It has two of the holiest shrine of Islam, Mecca and Medina mosque
- The world's largest mosque Al-Haram or forbidden mosques is in Mecca.
- The world's second largest mosque, Mosque of the Prophet, or Masjid al-Nabawi is in Medina.
- The Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) headquarters is also in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- The world’s largest sand area, the Rub al-Khali (“Empty Quarter”) which is spread around 647,500 square km, is also in Saudi Arabia.
Capital of Saudi Arabia: Riyadh
Currency: Saudi Riyal
King of Saudi Arabia: King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia: Mohammed bin Salman
