About the book
India and Saudi Arabia relation has changed in the cooperation of string bilateral association based on trust, friendship and mutual benefit. This has been witnessed almost at every level like society, culture, literature, security, foreign policy, political, economic, orientation. The history of the contact between the two peninsulas of India and Arabia dates back far in time.
The new millennium came with a new morning in relationship with the signing of the Riyadh declaration, termed the start of a “new era of strategic partnership”. The declaration which has been signed between Prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia in 2010 set a road map for a closer Indo-Saudi bilateral partnership.
The governments of India and Saudi have been facilitating two-way business engagements, keeping in mind the vast Indian Market and expertise and Saudi seeking to diversify its economy with its immense financial resources. Al-Rabiah, the delegation representing sectors such as fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, housing, power, petrochemicals & refinery, steel, metals, mining and mechanical equipment, urged Indian companies to take advantage of investment and growth opportunities in the Kingdom.
The two countries have encouraged and organized opportunities for businesses from both countries to invest and take advantage of the potential of their economies. Thus there has been major collaboration in the petroleum sector and infrastructure. There has been a significant growth in the import and export of food products from both the countries. Moreover, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma during a meeting with his Saudi counterpart sought the kingdom's support for early conclusion of the free trade agreement with the six nation (GCC) countries. Energy security is to a large extent the driving forces in India and Saudi relations, especially for India. The fast pace on which India economy has been growing associates with increased demand of energy.
About the Author
Dr Hemayun Akhtar Nazmi is an Associate Professor at the Centre for West Asian Studies. His expertise includes the history and Culture of Arab World, Indo-Arab relations especially with Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Global Perspective of Islam, Various dimensions of Islamism in the West Asian region, Islamic Movements in West Asia, Historical materials in Indian Archives and Libraries on West Asia.
Dr. Nazmi has a number of research papers and books to his credit. He has authored/edited five books on various aspects of Arab society and culture like ‘India and Saudi Arabia: The Emerging Socio-Cultural and Economic Dimension’, ‘Contemporary West Asia: The Emerging Scenario’ etc. He has also supervised more than 30 research scholars (5 Ph. D, 25 M. Phil) on various aspects of Arab society and Culture. At present a  number of scholars are working under his supervision.