Ask any expert about the depth of Saudi-Indian ties, and you will be bombarded with numbers and data to prove that relations between the two countries have grown by leaps and bounds. The bilateral trade, which stood at $16 billion in 2006-07, now exceeds $23 billion. The Kingdom ranks second in the Arab world in terms of Foreign Direct Investment joint ventures with India. Hundreds of Indian companies have established joint ventures in Saudi Arabia. For Saudi Arabia, India is one of its top five trading partners. The list goes on. However, these figures are not the true representation of a relationship which has not only stood the vagaries of time but has also gained a significant boost in recent years. The visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the first by an Indian PM to Saudi Arabia in 28 years, should be seen beyond a numerical frame. It will definitely add to the existing data, but it should chart a new course in the ties between the two countries, as did the visit of King Abdullah to India in 2006. The exchange of bilateral visits and consultations, which has dwindled after a temporary spurt following the Delhi Declaration signed by King Abdullah and Manmohan Singh in 2006, needs fresh impetus. Manmohan Singh's visit may provide this much-needed push. It's high time India should engage with Saudi Arabia in a more pro-active manner. Saudi Arabia is a regional power with international clout. India is an Asian giant. The two sides should talk to each other on equal footing. The visit in itself has given a great moral boost to Indian workers here, who add a whopping $5 billion annually to their country's foreign exchange reserve. The Indian government must look after the welfare of these workers, make sure that their genuine aspirations are met and their rights are protected. When it comes to academic qualifications and expertise, Indians are on a par with any nationality. But they face pay disparity. This is an area which the prime minister must look into. Added to this is the issue of higher education for children of Indian workers here. Following the King's visit to India, the two countries signed an MoU on academic exchange. Centers of excellence were planned at the university level in Saudi Arabia to promote scientific research and higher studies with India's cooperation. The Kingdom also decided to increase scholarships for its students to study in India from 100 to 500 annually. These were all very productive outcomes of the King's historic visit. But there is still huge potential for taking these cooperation pacts to higher levels as six new economic cities are being constructed and healthcare and IT sectors are undergoing massive development. What the prime minister should try to achieve in his visit is not only to offer Indian expertise to Saudi friends but also to ask the host country to open up its seats of higher education to children of Indian expatriates. The fact that Saudi Arabia holds its friendship with India in high esteem is obvious from the way Singh's visit is being treated here. It is a rare occasion and honor to see the flag of a visiting dignitary's country fluttering on the expressways of Riyadh. Singh will also have the privilege of addressing the Shoura Council. The visit will definitely change the common Saudi perception of Indians and India, which is wrongly considered by many here as a country exporting blue-collar workers. When two leaders shake hands, it boosts people-to-people contact and builds inter-personal friendship and respect. This, more than anything else, is what I expect Prime Minister Singh's visit to achieve.
