Saudi Arabia views India as an important country with which it can do business and forge security ties in order to deal with terrorism and piracy, Saudi Arabian envoy Saud Mohammed Al-Sati said last week.
Bilateral trade between the two countries is reaching $49 billion mark and his country is working towards making the investment environment more hospitable to further strengthen trade ties with India, said Al-Sati during a talk on developments in West Asia, particularly about the situation in Yemen, at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi.
Reflecting on India-Saudi Arabia relations, he said that both nations enjoy cordial and friendly relations, reflecting the centuries-old economic and socio-cultural ties. Trade, manpower and political interactions are the dominant factors for further strengthening the ties between the two nations, he noted.
The envoy said that Saudi Arabia and India also share a strong bond in the energy sector, with Saudi Arabia emerging as a reliable source of oil to India.