Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive in Jeddah this Tuesday, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Saudi Arabia’s commercial hub in over four decades. The landmark visit is expected to further enhance the growing strategic partnership between the two nations.
During his visit, Prime Minister Modi will tour a local factory and interact with Indian workers based in Saudi Arabia, underlining the deep people-to-people ties that complement the robust economic relationship between the two countries.
India’s investment footprint in Saudi Arabia has expanded significantly in recent years, with total investments reaching approximately USD 3 billion as of August 2023. These investments span across multiple sectors including management and consultancy services, construction, telecommunications, IT, financial services, software development, and pharmaceuticals.
Several major Indian companies have established a strong presence in Saudi Arabia. These include Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Tata Group, Wipro, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd (TCIL), Shapoorji Pallonji Group, Air India, Go Air, IndiGo, and SpiceJet, among others.
Speaking on the growing India-Saudi partnership, Ali Mohammed Ali, Member of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Executive Director of Jeddah National Hospital and Ryan International Clinics, said, “The presence of Indian companies in Saudi Arabia is a reflection of the mutual trust and shared vision between the two countries. The Indian workforce has played a significant role in various development sectors here, contributing meaningfully to Saudi Arabia’s progress.”
Beyond economic cooperation, the relationship has also deepened on the cultural front. In line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, bilateral cultural exchanges have gained momentum. A notable milestone in this regard was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Yoga Cooperation in 2021 between the Saudi Ministry of Sports and India’s Ministry of AYUSH.
Yoga has steadily grown in popularity in Saudi Arabia and is now officially recognized as a sporting activity. The Indian Embassy continues to organize yoga-related events, including annual celebrations of the International Day of Yoga.
Nouf Marwaai, a Saudi yoga expert who has been instrumental in promoting yoga in the region, said, “Yoga has not only grown in popularity here but has become a bridge between our cultures. The Indian Embassy’s consistent support and the community’s enthusiastic participation have played a big role in this journey.”