RIYADH: As the US-Israeli war with Iran reverberates across the Middle East and the world, few countries have had more at stake than India. Heavily dependent on regional energy supplies, increasingly invested in maritime trade routes, and with millions of citizens living in the Gulf states, New Delhi has watched the conflict with concern.
However, the crisis has also underscored the importance of India’s expanding relationship with Saudi Arabia — a partnership that has evolved dramatically over the past decade from one centered largely on oil into a broad strategic relationship encompassing security, investment, culture and diplomacy.
Appearing on the Arab News current affairs program “Frankly Speaking,” India’s outgoing ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Suhel Ajaz Khan, described how the conflict has intensified dialogue between New Delhi and Riyadh.
India’s outgoing ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Suhel Ajaz Khan, highlighted the resilience of a partnership that he said continues to grow despite regional turbulence. (AN photo)
At the same time, it has highlighted the resilience of a partnership that continues to grow despite regional turbulence. For India, he told “Frankly Speaking” host Katie Jensen, developments in the Gulf remain impossible to ignore.
