The deal between the US and Saudi Arabia to help the Gulf kingdom develop nuclear energy is dependent on Riyadh recognising the State of Israel, President Donald Trump has said.

“The Civil Nuclear Deal (There will be no enrichment of material!)… which pertains only to non-military use… will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords,” Trump said on Truth Social.

It was not immediately clear if the condition of joining the accords was stipulated in the text of the nuclear deal – which has not been released – or that Saudi Arabia had agreed to that condition.

Saudi Arabia has not responded to Trump’s remarks so far.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday that Trump had discussed the condition to Saudi leaders on numerous previous occasions.

“He has said if they don’t join the Abraham Accords, the deal is off,” she said. “So we’ll continue to have those conversations with our Saudi counterparts moving forward.”

Trump’s comments come come after criticism from experts that the US-Saudi deal announced on Wednesday could run the risk of future nuclear proliferation in an already unstable region.

Some Republican and Democratic lawmakers expressed similar concerns, though Trump’s Republican Party controls both the upper and lower chambers and opponents of the deal do not appear to have the votes needed to block it.

According to the US Department of Energy, it includes a “peaceful nuclear co-operation agreement” and a “bilateral safeguards agreement”.

“Together, these two agreements lay the legal foundation for a decades-long, multi-billion-dollar partnership that advances several priority economic and strategic objectives, including nuclear nonproliferation,” a statement from the department said.

It said the agreement would be sent to the US Congress for review.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Thursday that it was aware of US and Saudi plans for a “bilateral civil nuclear cooperation agreement and the plan to ask the IAEA to implement verification measures in relation to this”.

“We look forward to receiving the request for such verification and to working with the US and KSA [Kingdom of Saudi Arabia] in ensuring the implementation of those measures.”

During Trump’s first term as US president, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain signed the Abraham Accords, resulting in a historic normalisation of relations between Israel and two Arab nations – the first in decades.

Sudan, Morocco and Kazakhstan have since also signed them, too.

Saudi Arabia has previously said it will not do so without the establishment of a Palestinian state, but the White House said the deal would be off if Riyadh did not join the accords.

Israel has welcomed Trump’s statement.

Posting on X, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Saudi Arabia joining the accords “would be an historic leap forward for peace in the Middle East”.

The statement did not mention the nuclear deal. However, Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat said previously his country “can manage it” if Saudi Arabia had nuclear power for peaceful means.

Others were more critical. Former Israeli defence minister Avigdor Lieberman, told the paper: “Every military nuclear program begins with a civilian one.”

Israel itself is widely believed to have nuclear weapons, but it neither confirms nor denies that this is the case.

The US-Saudi deal is described as a “peaceful nuclear co-operation agreement” that will provide “great access for American companies in the Saudi nuclear energy programme” by the US energy department.

The nuclear issue has been at the centre of the months-long US-Israeli conflict with Iran which has for years denied Western accusations that it aims to acquire nuclear weapons. 

Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, told CBS News in 2018 that his own nation was not planning to acquire a nuclear weapon, but that “without a doubt if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible”.

Earlier US media reports suggested the deal could allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium in the future – which can be used as fuel for power plants, but also potentially to make nuclear bombs. However, Trump’s remarks appear to deny this.

Rosemary Kelanic, the director of the Middle East programme at the US-based Defense Priorities think tank, said it would be “quite shocking” if the US were to allow Saudi Arabia uranium enrichment facilities.

“The US has never done that before. We have never helped another country enrich on their own soil,” she said, adding that this was because “if you can produce your own nuclear fuel, you become a much bigger risk” for building nuclear weapons. (BBC)

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SriLankan Airlines has announced strategic partnerships with Saudi Arabia’s national carrier Saudia (SV) and low‑cost airline Flynas (XY), expanding its network reach and strengthening air travel links between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia. 

The collaboration will provide passengers with seamless connections across multiple domestic and international destinations, enhancing convenience and accessibility while boosting demand for business, leisure and visiting‑friends‑and‑relatives traveling between the two countries. 

According to the airline, under this arrangement, Saudia provides access to seven international and thirteen domestic destinations, while Flynas contributes an additional eight international and six domestic destinations, offering passengers greater travel flexibility and improved accessibility across Saudi Arabia.

Through Saudia’s network, passengers can connect from destinations including Amman, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Cairo, Dubai, Kuwait City and Los Angeles, together with key domestic points such as Jeddah, Abha, Madinah and Tabuk, among others across Saudi Arabia. Flynas further extends the network with international services from Addis Ababa, Karachi, Giza, Tashkent and Sohag, alongside domestic connectivity from cities including Jizan, Najran, Dammam and Jeddah.

Passengers travelling from across Saudi Arabia can now connect seamlessly via Riyadh and Dammam onto SriLankan Airlines’ daily services to Colombo, with onward access to destinations throughout the airline’s international network. SriLankan Airlines currently operates daily flights from both Riyadh and Dammam to Colombo, catering to growing demand for business, leisure and visiting-friends-and-relatives (VFR) travel between the two countries.

“This partnership represents an important step in expanding SriLankan Airlines’ presence across Saudi Arabia while strengthening links to key destinations in the Middle East, Africa and North America. Working together with Saudia and Flynas enables us to offer customers smoother connections from multiple regional and international destinations into Sri Lanka and beyond,” Head of Commercial, Dimuthu Tennakoon said.

“We are delighted to partner with Saudia and Flynas to further strengthen air travel links between Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka. This collaboration offers passengers greater convenience, expanded travel options and seamless journeys across our combined networks, while enhancing the overall travel experience through improved network integration,” Manager Saudi Arabia, Thusitha Wickramasinghe, stated, commenting on the partnership.

SriLankan Airlines connects passengers to 131 destinations across 63 countries through its own services and codeshare partnerships, while operating direct services to 34 destinations worldwide. Its network spans Europe, Australia, the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and the Far East. The airline operates an all-Airbus fleet comprising state-of-the-art A330-200/300 and A320/321 aircraft. (Newswire)

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After the payment of Rs 34-crore blood money, Abdul Rahim, a native of Kodampuzha in Ramanattukara near Kozhikode, Kerala, returned home on Eid after spending nearly 20 years on death row in a Saudi Arabian prison. 

A driver by profession, Rahim had unintentionally touched a life-support system that resulted in the death of the son of his sponsor. He had been in Saudi Arabia for less than a month. 

He arrived at Kozhikode’s Karipur International Airport early Thursday morning, May 28, on an Air India flight from Riyadh and was warmly reunited with his family at their ancestral home in Machilakathu.

According to the official statement from the Embassy of India in Riyadh on Thursday, Abdul Raheem was pardoned and released after two decades in prison on May 20 this year. The Embassy noted that his flight to India had departed moments before the statement was issued.

The Embassy stated that it had consistently pursued his case with Saudi authorities and regularly monitored Rahim’s well-being while he was in jail. 

Rahim had travelled to Riyadh on November 28, 2006, seeking better opportunities after working as a school bus driver and autorickshaw driver in Kerala. 

He was assigned to assist his sponsor Fayis Abdullah Abdulrahman Al Shahri’s 17-year-old son, Anas Al Shahri, who was paralysed and dependent on a breathing apparatus.

WHY WAS ABDUL RAHIM SENTENCED TO DEATH?

According to a report by news agency ANI, on December 24, 2006, while Rahim was driving, his hand accidentally touched a medical support device attached to the boy. The teenager later became unconscious and died. Rahim was arrested the same day, just 28 days after arriving in Saudi Arabia, and eventually sentenced to death by a Saudi court in 2011.

The sentence was upheld in higher courts. After years of legal proceedings, the victim’s family in 2024 agreed to pardon Rahim upon receiving blood money (diyah) of 15 million Saudi riyals, approximately Rs 34.35 crore.

Diyah in Islamic law, is the financial compensation paid to the victim or heirs of a victim in cases of killing, bodily harm or property damage not done deliberately. It is a part of legal proceedings in countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Following the settlement, the Saudi court revoked the death sentence on July 2, 2024. Saudi authorities, however, ordered that Rahim complete his 20-year jail term, which, according to the Arabic calendar, concluded on May 20.

HOW A MASSIVE CROWDFUNDING MOVEMENT SECURED ABDUL RAHIM’S RELEASE

Alongside expressing gratitude to the Saudi authorities for their cooperation, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh also appreciated the Indian community, particularly Malayali organisations, for their unwavering support, solidarity and faith in the judicial process.

The Malayali community in India and beyond played a crucial role in securing Abdul Rahim’s release by securing the large sum needed to pay off the blood money.

The “Save Abdul Rahim” campaign turned into one of the largest public fundraising efforts in Kerala’s recent history. When Rahim’s family could not arrange the required amount, Malayali organisations in Saudi Arabia and support groups in Kerala launched coordinated efforts.

Contributions from people across the world, including ordinary workers and expatriates, exceeded Rs 47.87 crore between late March and April 12, 2024, through a dedicated mobile application, reported the news agency ANI.

According to ANI, more than 60 Malayali organisations in Saudi Arabia coordinated the legal battle for nearly two decades, while local committees in Kerala managed the fundraising and public campaign.

ABDUL RAHIM’S EMOTIONAL FAMILY REUNION

Upon reaching home on May 28, the day when Eid was being celebrated, Rahim fought back tears and thanked everyone who supported him.

“I thank all Keralites across the world who made my release a reality,” The Indian Express reported him as saying. The case had been closely followed in Kerala for years.

For Rahim’s family, the two decades were extremely difficult. According to a report by The Indian Express, his father, Muhammedkutty, passed away six months after his arrest. His mother, Fathima, met him in person only once, in November 2024, after the pardon, with occasional video calls being the only form of contact during most of his imprisonment.

Rahim’s emotional homecoming on Eid brought relief and celebration to his family and the wider community that stood by him. The Embassy of India in Riyadh extended its warmest wishes to Abdul Raheem and his family for their reunion. (India Today)

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A Sri Lankan delegation led by Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeyasinghe met with senior officials of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) to discuss potential investment opportunities.

The meeting at the PIF headquarters in Riyadh included a presentation by Abeyasinghe outlining Sri Lanka’s competitive advantages and key sectors for investment. Officials from Sri Lanka’s capital market also highlighted regulatory reforms and policy updates aimed at improving investor confidence.

Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka Chairman Prof. D.B.P.H. Dissabandara and Colombo Stock Exchange CEO Rajeeva Bandaranaike briefed PIF officials on measures to support sustainable growth in the Sri Lankan market.

PIF Senior Director Mulham Albakree presented the fund’s 2026–2030 Strategic Plan and stressed the need for a Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement between the two countries.

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ameer Ajwad, provided updates on current bilateral agreements, including the Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation.

Other members of the Sri Lankan delegation included M. Ray Abeywardena, director of the Colombo Stock Exchange; Tushara Jayaratne, deputy director general of the Securities and Exchange Commission; Niroshan Wijesundere, senior vice president of marketing at the Colombo Stock Exchange; and Tashma Vithanawasam, first secretary of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh.

The PIF is Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and a central vehicle in the country’s Vision 2030 strategy. It manages a globally diversified portfolio across sectors such as energy, infrastructure, technology, healthcare, and financial services. (Newswire)

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The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh dispatched the third shipment of 40-foot container relief items worth USD 19,000 last week (08 Jan) to support the ongoing relief efforts undertaken by the Government of Sri Lanka for the benefit of victims of Cyclone Ditwah, which recently devastated parts of Sri Lanka. 

According to the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh, the shipment was officially handed over by the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ameer Ajwad, to the Country Manager of Trico Cargo, Andrew Sinnan, at the Trico warehouse in Riyadh for onward shipment to Sri Lanka. 

Ambassador Ameer Ajwad expressed his sincere appreciation to Trico Cargo for its generous support in transporting the relief consignments on a complimentary basis, demonstrating its commitment to social responsibility beyond commercial interests. 

Responding to an appeal made by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh, a large number of Sri Lankan community members residing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia donated essential items, including dry rations, clothing, stationery items, and sanitary napkins for women, and other essentials to be dispatched to Sri Lanka for distribution among the victims of the Ditwah natural calamity. 

Sri Lankan expatriates and well-wishers also made financial contributions amounting to a sum of USD 80,000 to the “Nation Building Fund” to support recovery and reconstruction efforts in Sri Lanka.

Last month, the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh dispatched one consignment of essential items valued at USD 11,000 and another consignment consisting of 8 high-capacity tower light generators valued at USD 43,000 donated by Energia LLC, to the Disaster Management Centre in Sri Lanka.

Ambassador Ameer Ajwad extended his sincere gratitude to all members of the Sri Lankan community in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as all well-wishers, for their outstanding generosity and solidarity during this time of national need, standing together with the victims of this devastating natural disaster. (Newswire)

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In his first visit to the White House since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Mohammed bin Salman received a warm welcome from President Donald Trump, who contradicted U.S. intelligence and said the Saudi crown prince “knew nothing” about the killing.

“You’re mentioning somebody that was extremely controversial,” Trump said Tuesday in response to questions from a journalist about Khashoggi. “A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about. Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen, but [the crown prince] knew nothing about it, and we can leave it at that.”

Trump began his remarks by saying that he was proud of the crown prince in “terms of human rights and everything else.”

Crown Prince Mohammed, 40, became an international pariah after the 2018 murder of Khashoggi, a fierce critic of his government. At the time, Trump defended the Saudi government even after the CIA concluded that the crown prince himself ordered the killing.

Trump lashed out at a reporter from ABC News who asked the crown prince about Khashoggi’s death and about criticism from the families of the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, many of whom have long pushed for answers on the Saudi government’s potential ties to the attackers.

“ABC, fake news, one of the worst, one of the worst in the business,” he said.

The crown prince dismissed the criticisms against the Saudi government as part of a campaign to drive a wedge between Washington and Riyadh.

“I feel painful about, you know, families of 9/11 in America,” he said. “But you know, we have to focus on reality.”

Crown Prince Mohammed also defended the kingdom’s probe into Khashoggi’s murder, which he said included internal reforms. A Saudi court sentenced five people to death for their involvement in the killing.

“It’s been painful for us in Saudi Arabia,” he said, promising that “we are doing our best that this doesn’t happen again.”

Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, the journalist’s widow, responded to Trump on X, writing, “There is no justification to murder my husband. While Jamal was a good transparent and brave man many people may not have agreed with his opinions and desire for freedom of the press. The Crown Prince said he was sorry so he should meet me, apologize and compensate me for the murder of my husband.”

The crown prince said in 2019 that he took “full responsibility” for the Khashoggi killing since it happened on his watch but denied having ordered it.

Khashoggi’s death has highlighted the risks journalists face around the world, particularly in areas where there is conflict. A report from the Committee to Protect Journalists released in February said that at least 124 journalists and media workers were killed in 2024, mainly Palestinian journalists killed as a result of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.

The crown prince’s trip Tuesday will be seen more broadly as a move toward acceptance back into the diplomatic fold.

Trump’s welcome of the crown prince was an elaborate display of pomp and circumstance. After arriving at the White House, the crown prince was greeted by a military flyover of stealth fighter jets, officers on horseback and a tour of the Rose Garden from Trump. Later, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, the president praised the reception that he received when he visited the kingdom this year. “I love the country and people,” he said.

Trump and the crown prince joked about investing $1 trillion — a sum roughly equal to Saudi Arabia’s entire wealth fund — into the United States, up from a $600 billion pledge.

The two leaders are also expected to sign economic and defense agreements, a White House official told NBC News.

Even before the crown prince had set foot in the United States, Trump confirmed at an Oval Office event Monday that he would be willing to sign off on the sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to the kingdom, a contentious move that could shift the balance of power in the Middle East, where Israel has been the primary recipient of America’s cutting-edge military technology. Trump repeated the pledge Tuesday and promised a deal.

Trump also designated Saudi Arabia a “Major Non-NATO Ally” on Tuesday, noting that the classification would take the country’s military cooperation with the United States “to even greater heights.”

“You always had a little cloud over your head, and sometimes that cloud was very big. That cloud is not there anymore, and we want to keep it that way,” Trump said before he announced the designation at a dinner honoring Crown Prince Mohammed.

Major Non-NATO Ally status is a designation that “provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation,” according to the State Department. It does not, however, require U.S. security commitments to such countries.

The possibility of Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with Israel is a key part of the talks. “I already brought it up,” Trump said when asked about the prospect of Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords, the 2020 U.S.-brokered agreement that led a number of regional countries to establish formal diplomatic ties with Israel. “I don’t want to use the word ‘commitment,’ but we had a good talk,” he said.

Watch: https://x.com/AP/status/1990978838638010371?t=HPPRjNkVQ1pFKAVfiLTtKw&s=19  (NBC News)

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Sri Lanka signed the agreement for the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage on Sunday (09) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with the official Hajj quota allocated to Sri Lanka standing at 3,500. 

The agreement was signed by the Sri Lankan delegation, headed by the Deputy Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs, Muneer Mulaffer and the Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia, Dr. Abdulfattah Bin Sulaiman Mashat. 

The agreement outlines the mutual understanding and commitment of both governments to facilitate and serve the Sri Lankan pilgrims participating in Hajj 2026. As per the agreement signed yesterday, the official Hajj quota allocated to Sri Lanka stands at 3,500. 

During the signing, Deputy Minister Muneer Mulaffer expressed the appreciation of the Government of Sri Lanka for the excellent arrangements made by the Saudi authorities for Hajj 2025, and reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s readiness to continue its close collaboration with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to ensure a successful Hajj 2026 for Sri Lankan pilgrims. He also took the opportunity to elaborate on the measures taken by the Sri Lankan government to regularise the hajj operations in the country, including the draft Hajj Act. 

Chairman of Sri Lanka  Hajj Committee Reyaz Mihular elaborated on the Committee’s regulatory role and the operational processes being implemented for the upcoming Hajj season. 

Deputy Minister Mulaffer is also scheduled to meet with Dr. Tawfiq Fawzan Alrabiah, the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, and engage with the Hajj service provider. 

The Sri Lanka delegation for the signing ceremony includes Director of the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs, M.S.M. Nawas, Acting Consul General in Jeddah, Mafusa Lafir, Medical Coordinator Dr Azeez Mohamed Shihan and Hajj Coordinator Dr. M.N.M. Ahsraff. (Newswire)

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A Saudi national who is alleged to have assaulted and injured a flight attendant aboard a SriLankan Airlines aircraft has been sentenced to three months in prison after admitting guilt in court. 

However, Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama today (03) suspended the sentence for five years.

The suspect was charged by airport police with three counts, including assault causing injury and intimidation. In addition to the prison sentence, a fine of Rs. 10,000 was imposed.

Presenting details of the incident, the airport police informed the court that the assault occurred on October 26 aboard a SriLankan Airlines flight travelling from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to the Katunayake Airport.

Investigating officers further stated that the flight attendant had instructed all passengers to fasten their seatbelts as the aircraft was preparing to land, but the suspect had disregarded the instruction, engaged in a verbal altercation with the attendant, and proceeded to physically assault her. (Newswire)

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The Global Labour Market Conference commenced in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia yesterday (Jan 29).

Sri Lanka is represented by Deputy Minister of Labour Mahinda Jayasinghe at the event, which has drawn more than 5,000 participants, including 180 speakers and over 70 labour ministers from around the world.

The conference focuses on modern labour market trends, national policies, and economic conditions. Discussions also cover labour market challenges, wage disparities, and youth employment.

Deputy Minister Jayasinghe said the event will address ways to empower small and medium-scale entrepreneurs and strengthen national labour forces.  (Newswire)

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The King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid will implement the Noor Saudi Volunteer Project in Sri Lanka to combat blindness and diseases at government hospitals in the Hambantota and Kattankudy areas from 03 to 16 November 2024.

Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Sri Lanka, Khalid bin Hamoud Al-Kahtani said the project is being launched based on the distinguished relations between Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka, and the keenness of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to alleviate the suffering of countries around the world,

Accordingly, the Noor Saudi Volunteer Project includes performing surgical operations on thousands of cases, providing them with medical services, medicines, spectacles and lenses, in addition to providing them with health awareness. 

This project is an extension of the projects organized by the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid in all countries, including Sri Lanka.

The center has previously organized several volunteer campaigns in different regions of Sri Lanka during the past years, the last of which was in the Kattankudy area of the Eastern Province from 04 – 10 May 2024. 

In addition to this, 300 tons of dates were handed over to the World Food Programme (WFP) office in Sri Lanka in June 2024 to distribute among needy people in the nation.

In its work, the Center relies on principles based on lofty humanitarian goals, based on providing aid to the needy and relief to the afflicted anywhere in the world with an accurate monitoring mechanism and advanced and rapid transportation methods, which is carried out through the assistance of United Nations organizations and international and local non-profit organizations in the beneficiary countries with high reliability. 

The projects and programs provided by the Center must be diverse according to those who deserve them and the circumstances in which they live or have been exposed. The aid includes all sectors of relief and humanitarian work (relief security, camp management, shelter, early recovery, protection, education, water, environmental sanitation, nutrition, health, support to humanitarian operations, logistics, and emergency communications).

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center seeks to be a global model in this field, based on several foundations, including:

• Continuing the Kingdom’s approach to extending a helping hand to those in need around the world.
• Providing aid without any inhumane motives.
• Coordination and consultation with trusted international organizations and bodies.
• Applying all international standards used in relief programs.
• Unifying efforts among the agencies concerned with relief work in the Kingdom.
• Professionalism and efficiency of the center’s workers and volunteers.
• Ensuring that aid reaches those who deserve it and is not exploited for other purposes.
• The aid must be of high quality and reliable source.

According to general statistics of the Center’s projects, 3091 projects have been completed at a total cost of $7,071,726,973 in 103 countries around the world as of December 31, 2024, including 18 projects at a total cost of USD 15 million in Sri Lanka. (Newswire)

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The awarding of contracts for passenger and mobile lift platform services of SriLankan Airlines in Saudi Arabia and China has received a Cabinet nod.

According to the government, the contract for handling the passenger and mobile lift platform services at the Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh airports in Saudi Arabia is due to lapse on 31-12-2024 and the contract with the Guangzhou Airport in China is due to end on 31-01-2025. 

Therefore, bids were called under the limited international bidding procedure in order to select suitable service suppliers for that purpose. 

As such, the Cabinet approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation to award the following service suppliers contracts for a period of 03 years 

The approval is given under the recommendations of the Technical Appraisal Committee and the Standing Procurement Committee appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers after appraisal of the received bids.

The contracts are to be awarded to the following suppliers;

• To award the contract for Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh airports in Saudi Arabia to Swissport Saudi Arabia Limited 
• To award the contract for Guangzhou Airport in China to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport Co. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh says Saudi Arabia was ranked as the 3rd potential market for Sri Lankan tourism in June 2024. 

The Embassy further said that as per the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) data, Saudi Arabia was the 23rd source market for tourists visiting Sri Lanka during the same period.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Tourism was part of the Travel Fair 2024 held at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center recently. 

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (STPB), organized the participation of eighteen Sri Lankan destination management companies (DMC), hotels, and Sri Lankan Airlines.

The travel fair aimed to facilitate networking among tour and travel operators. Sri Lanka’s participation in the Riyadh Travel Fair significantly enhanced its reputation as a preferred destination for Arab tourists.

Sri Lanka has set an ambitious goal of attracting five million tourists by 2026,   focusing on high-end tourists, particularly from Middle Eastern countries. 

The Sri Lankan Embassy said Saudi Arabia emerged as a key market for Sri Lankan tourism due to the high daily expenditure of its visitors. (Newswire)

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The Cabinet of Ministers has been briefed on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia for cooperation in promoting direct investment between the two nations.

Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia reached an agreement to enter into a MOU to attract direct investment to the country and improve the investment environment of the two countries through policy and legal reforms, provision of advanced and integrated infrastructure facilities, process redesign, etc. 

Accordingly, the President briefed the Cabinet on the said MOU, informing that the Minister of Foreign Affairs signed the said MOU during the special meeting of the World Economic Forum held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on the 28th and 29th of April 2024. (Newswire)

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The Saudi-based King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center organized the Saudi Noor Voluntary Project, an eye health campaign, in Sri Lanka to combat blindness and the diseases that cause it.

The voluntary project was conducted in the government hospital in Kattankudy in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka from 04-10 May 2024. 

His Excellency Ambassador Khalid bin Hamoud Al-Kahtani stated that based on the distinguished relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Sri Lanka, and out of the keenness of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister to alleviate the suffering of countries around the world, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center organized the Saudi Noor Voluntary Project in Sri Lanka. 

This project includes performing surgical operations on thousands of cases, providing them with medical services, medicines, spectacles and lenses, in addition to providing them with health awareness. 

This project is an extension of the projects organized by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center in all countries, including Sri Lanka. During the past years, the Center has previously organized several volunteer campaigns in different regions of Sri Lanka, the most recent of which was in the regions of Walasmulla in the southern province of Sri Lanka and Kattankudy in the eastern province of Sri Lanka from 06-16 September 2023.

In its work, the Center relies on principles based on lofty humanitarian goals, based on providing aid to the needy and relief to the afflicted anywhere in the world with an accurate monitoring mechanism and advanced and rapid transportation methods, which is carried out through the assistance of United Nations organizations and international and local nonprofit organizations in the beneficiary countries with high reliability. The projects and programs provided by the Center must be diverse according to those who deserve them and the circumstances in which they live or have been exposed. The aid includes all sectors of relief and humanitarian work (relief security, camp management, shelter, early recovery, protection, education, water, environmental sanitation, nutrition, health, support to humanitarian operations, logistics, and emergency communications).

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center seeks to be a global model in this field, based on several foundations, including:  

• Continuing the Kingdom’s approach to extending a helping hand to those in need around the world.  
• Providing aid without any inhumane motives.  Coordination and consultation with trusted international organizations and bodies.  
• Applying all international standards used in relief programs.  
• Unifying efforts among the agencies concerned with relief work in the Kingdom.  Professionalism and efficiency of the center’s workers and volunteers.  
• Ensuring that aid reaches those who deserve it and is not exploited for other purposes.  
• The aid must be of high quality and reliable source.

According to general statistics for the Center’s projects (completed) until 31st December last year, 2,673 projects have been completed at a total cost of US$ 6,532,536,783 in 98 countries of the world, including 17 projects at a total cost of US$ 14,311,611 in the Republic of Sri Lanka. (Newswire)

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The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has presented a gift from the Custodian of the two holy mosques to Sri Lanka, which contains 50 tons of dates. 

According to the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Sri Lanka, Ambassador Khalid Hamoud Al-Kahtani officially handed over this shipment of dates to the Sri Lankan authorities during a ceremony held at the headquarters of the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs today (Mar 06). 

The shipment of dates was handed over to the Secretary of the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Somarathna Vithanapatirana, and the Director, Department of the Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs under the Ministry Zain Al-Abidin Faisal in the presence of representatives of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, the Sri Lankan Ambassador-designate to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ameer Ajwad, and several officials from Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government Departments, and Embassy officials.

The Saudi Ambassador praised the great humanitarian efforts undertaken by the King Salman Relief Center around the world, which reflect the keenness of the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and HRH Crown Prince and Prime Minister to stand with brotherly and friendly countries and peoples in various circumstances and tribulations. 

Noting the strength of relations between the Kingdom and the friendly Republic of Sri Lanka, the Ambassador requested the potential beneficiaries of this gift to communicate with the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs swiftly to obtain the Kingdom’s gift to the Sri Lankan people and benefit from it, especially in the holy month of Ramadan.

For his part, the Secretary of the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, extended his sincere thanks to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister for all the assistance provided to the Sri Lankan people. Pointing out that this is not surprising given the Kingdom of Humanity and its unlimited generous giving throughout all parts of the globe.

The Saudi Embassy said this gift comes within the programs offered by the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and HRH Crown Prince to several brotherly and friendly countries to reach the most needy families in different regions of the world. (NewsWire)

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By: Khalidh Rizwan

The World Defense Show 2024 is currently taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud. The event is scheduled from February 4th to 8th.

The exhibition, orchestrated by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), garnered participation from over 750 exhibitors hailing from 45 countries. Among the attendees were defense ministers, international leaders, investors, and key representatives.

The exhibition serves as a strategic platform fostering networking, collaboration, skills sharing, investment, and innovation within the global defense industries.

Additionally, the ministry plans to exhibit cutting-edge communication technologies and demonstrate leading armament systems, along with their latest advancements, using interactive screens within its pavilion.

The World Defense Show 2024, in its second iteration, delves into the prospective landscape of the defense industry under the overarching theme “Equipped for Tomorrow.” The event meticulously exhibits cutting-edge global technological advancements across diverse defense domains encompassing land, sea, air, space, and security.

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By Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Khaled Hamoud Al-Kahtani

Anyone who follows history is fully aware that the position of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the Palestinian issue has been constant and has not changed since the time of the founder, King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud until this day, which is to support the rights of the Palestinian people, who face arrogance from the Israeli occupation forces and unacceptable violations.

The Kingdom has always been one of the first countries to support the Palestinian cause and has repeatedly stressed that this issue – and no other – is the first Arab issue, which all Arabs and Muslims should support. So that the Palestinians can achieve everything they seek and aspire to, by establishing their independent state, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Since its founding until today, the Kingdom has worked to support the Palestinian cause, within a moral framework dictated by its Islamic religion and Arab culture, endangering its national security many times for the sake of the Palestinian cause, which all its Kings believe in since the era of the founder until the era of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz. For example, but not limited to the following:

1. In 1945, the late founder, King Abdulaziz said: “The issue of Palestine is the most important thing that occupies the thoughts of Muslims and Arabs.”
2. The famous historical meeting that brought together King Abdulaziz with US President Roosevelt in 1945, where the king presented the Kingdom’s point of view, recorded in books and letters, that the Palestinian issue will remain the first constant issue in the Kingdom’s policies over the years.
3. The late King Saud bin Abdulaziz formed popular committees to help the freedom fighters and families of the martyrs of Palestine after the setback of June 1967, and entrusted their chairmanship to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz when he was the governor of the Riyadh region, through twelve offices that covered most of the cities of the Kingdom.
4. The late King Faisal stressed in the Second Arab Summit held in Alexandria in 1964, the inevitability of demonstrating the Palestinian presence and providing it with all means of continuity. He provided five million British pounds as a donation to form five commando brigades working to liberate Palestine. He also stopped oil supplying to the West in the October War.
5. The late King Faisal said at the Muslim World League conference in April 1965, in Mecca, “I cannot ignore an issue that is your issue, and I do not present it from its political perspective, but I present it as the issue of all Muslims on earth, and this issue – brothers – It is the issue of lost Palestine.”
6. When Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982, King Khaled ordered the supply of weapons and ammunition to Palestinian fighters from National Guard and Army warehouses, and he paid five million dollars from his own account to Yasser Arafat when he came asking for more support.
7. The late King Fahd affirmed in a Hajj sermon in 1986: “We give all our attention to the issues of the Islamic and Arab nations through joint action, at the forefront of which is the Palestinian issue.”
8. At the Jerusalem Summit in 2000, the late King Abdullah affirmed when he was the Crown Prince that “East Jerusalem is an Arab issue that cannot be compromised. It cannot be abandoned under any circumstances. The responsibility to preserve Jerusalem and liberate the occupied territories falls on all of us.”
9. This Saudi moral constant was evident in the words of King Salman: “One of the priorities of the Kingdom’s policy and principles is to seek to find a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative. The Kingdom will continue its efforts in support of this issue in order to establish the Palestinian state with its capital Jerusalem and restoring rights to the brotherly Palestinian people.”

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has participated in many conferences and meetings related to resolving the Palestinian issue, including King Fahd bin Abdulaziz’s peace project at the Arab Summit held in the Moroccan city of Fez in 1982, which was approved by the Arab countries and became the basis for the Arab peace project and later for the peace conference in Madrid in 1991. Passing through the road map and the Arab Peace Initiative, which was proposed by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz (the Crown Prince at the time) and adopted by the Arab countries as a unified project at the Beirut summit in March 2002 to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict, as the initiative called on the Israeli entity to commit to implementing relevant international legitimacy resolutions. The connection, which stipulates complete withdrawal from all Arab territories occupied since 1967, including the city of Jerusalem, the removal of settlements, and guaranteeing freedom of worship and the practice of religious rituals for all religions in the holy places.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also affirms the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent, fully sovereign state on the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital, and the return of refugees. The Kingdom has constantly called on the international community to intervene urgently to stop the aggressive and repeated Israeli attacks and atrocities against the Palestinian people.

In this context, the Kingdom condemned the Israeli occupation’s construction of the separation wall and the apartheid expansion, which annexed vast Palestinian lands, and submitted a memorandum of protest to the International Court of Justice in The Hague condemning Israel’s construction of the wall. The court ruled that this wall was illegal and demanded that Israel remove it.

Today, when we look at the reality of Saudi-Palestinian relations, we realize the magnitude of the qualitative shift made by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, in which the relationship with the Palestinian issue was transformed into a creative interaction. He looked at the Palestinian issue from a spiritual, national, psychological, emotional, and humanitarian perspective. He set his sights – from an early age – on the Palestinian issue and was linked to it by his origins and commitment as a supporter of the Palestinian issue. His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister is well-known for his firm position on the Palestinian issue and his sober defense of it, in which he is based on self-confidence, confidence in justice, rationality of the Palestinian issue and awareness of the facts on the ground for a cause based on truth, justice and logic. He announced clearly that he stands with the Palestinian cause.

In 2018, in response to the announcement of the so-called “Deal of the Century” under which the United States of America recognized the city of Jerusalem as the capital of the occupying state, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, announced during the opening session of the 29th Arab Summit, which was held in the Saudi city of Dhahran, the naming the summit as the “Jerusalem Summit”. The final statement of the Jerusalem Summit affirmed the rejection of the US administration’s decision regarding Jerusalem, and that East Jerusalem is an integral part of the Palestinian land. He reiterated that the Palestinian issue is the first Arab issue and will remain so, until the Palestinian people obtain all their legitimate rights. Most notably the establishment of their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The blatant violation that Palestine is witnessing today, specifically in Gaza, by the Israeli occupation forces, which killed children, women, and the elderly, and displaced thousands of Palestinians. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia called on the international community to carry out its duties, as the 32nd Arab Summit, which was hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the city of Jeddah, reaffirmed On the centrality of the Palestinian issue to Arab countries, as it is one of the main factors for stability in the region. In the Jeddah Declaration, issued on May 19, 2023, the leaders condemned the atrocities and violations that target the lives, property, and existence of Palestinians. They stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to reach a comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian issue and creating a real horizon for achieving peace based on the two-state solution, in accordance with international references. Most notably the Arab Peace Initiative, relevant international resolutions, and the principles of international law to ensure the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with sovereignty over the territories. The Palestinian territories within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. The Jeddah Declaration also called on the international community to assume its responsibilities to end the Israeli occupation and stop the repeated attacks and violations that would obstruct the paths to political solutions and undermine international peace efforts.

His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, also affirmed in his speech at the Gulf States and ASEAN Summit on October 20, 2023, which was held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: “It pains us as we gather to see the escalating violence that Gaza is witnessing, the price of which is being paid by innocent civilians.” In this regard, we affirm our categorical rejection of targeting civilians in any way and under any pretext, the importance of adhering to international humanitarian law, the necessity of stopping military operations against civilians and infrastructure that affect their daily lives, and creating conditions for the return of stability and the achievement of lasting peace that guarantees reaching a just solution. To establish a Palestinian state according to the 1967 borders, in a way that achieves security and prosperity for all.

In the final statement of the joint Arab-Islamic summit held in Riyadh on November 11, 2023, the leaders of the Arab and Islamic countries urged to stop the war on the Gaza Strip, and they rejected describing the Israeli retaliatory war as self-defense or justifying it under any pretext. The leaders also called for ending the siege imposed by the Israeli occupation on Gaza and forcing the entry of Arab, Islamic and international humanitarian aid convoys into the Strip. In its final statement, the summit condemned the Israeli aggression against Gaza and “war crimes and barbaric, brutal and inhuman massacres committed by the colonial occupation government”. The leaders of the Arab and Islamic worlds called all the countries to “stop exporting weapons and ammunition to Israel.”

In light of this, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan, in his speech before the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2023, affirmed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s rejection of any unilateral measures that hinder the solution of the Palestinian issue and work to undermine peace efforts.

On October 18, 2023, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom, His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan, held a series of meetings with several foreign ministers of member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on the sidelines of the urgent, open-ended extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee of the Organization. He stressed during these meetings that the Kingdom is making possible efforts to communicate with all international and regional parties to stop the ongoing escalation.

His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs, also participated in the high-level discussion session of the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue, on October 25, 2023, at the invitation of His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Brazil, Mauro Vieira, where Brazil holds the presidency of Security Council of this month.

His Highness the Minister of Foreign Affairs delivered a speech in which he clearly affirmed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s clear condemnation of the targeting of civilians by any party. He said: “The Kingdom called for the necessity of stopping the escalation and killing, releasing the hostages, and adhering to what is required by international conventions and laws.” He added: “The leadership of the Kingdom made Intensive efforts to communicate with brotherly and friendly countries in order to find an urgent and practical solution that stops the escalation and puts an end to the bloody cycles of violence.”

He added: “What we witness from the international community’s laxity so far in working to immediately stop the collective punishment carried out by the Israeli war machine against the residents of Gaza and forced displacement attempts will not bring us any closer to the security and stability that we all seek”. His Highness stressed that the time has come for the Security Council to assume the responsibilities for which it was established, and for the international community to take a firm and serious stance to stop Israeli violations, ensuring the protection of civilians, ending the siege, and ensuring the rapid entry of humanitarian and relief aid, such as food, water, and medicine, in order to prevent from occurring a humanitarian catastrophe and expansion of the conflict, endangering regional and international security. He added: “The inability of the Security Council to carry out the role assigned to it in maintaining international peace and security, and its failure to reach a resolution that addresses this crisis, in light of the ongoing Israeli violations of international conventions, including international humanitarian law, calls into question the reliability of international legitimacy mechanisms, the credibility of their defenders and its ability to achieve peace.”

His Highness the Minister of Foreign Affairs held meetings and phone calls with his counterparts in many brotherly and friendly countries, during which he reviewed the developments in the military escalation in the Gaza Strip, where he stressed the importance of implementing Security Council resolutions on the Palestinian issue, specifically No. 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). ) and “1515” (2003) and “2334” (2016) in order to establish a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue in accordance with the relevant international references, renewing Saudi Arabia’s categorical rejection of targeting civilians in any way, and the importance of an immediate ceasefire and securing humanitarian corridors for the entry of urgent relief aid and stopping the forced displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. His Highness the Prince Minister of Foreign Affairs also issued numerous statements in which he expressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s condemnation in the strongest terms of the blatant targeting by the Israeli occupation forces, and the Israeli violations of all international laws and norms in the Gaza Strip, stressing that the only future is an immediate ceasefire. There is no way to reach stability in the region except through peace, and peace will not be achieved except with the establishment of the State of Palestine.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not stop providing all possible assistance to the Palestinian brothers. The Saudi support for the Palestinian cause and the Palestinians are various and manifold, between political, diplomatic and humanitarian support, which is what the Kingdom provided in the past days. Since the outbreak of the war waged by the Israeli occupation on the Gaza Strip, the last form of this support was the directive of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Highness the Crown Prince to launch the popular Saudi campaign through the “Sahim” platform of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center to provide relief to the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. This support came as an extension of the Kingdom’s firm position towards the dangerous military developments in Gaza and its environs, where the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, made a personal donation in the amount of 30 million Saudi riyals, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, made an amount of 20 million Saudi riyals. The total donations collected through the “Sahim” platform as part of the popular relief campaign for the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, amounting to more than 518 million Saudi riyals, as of November 17, 2023, while the donations are still continuing.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also continued to provide relief to those affected inside the Gaza Strip by air and sea. As the Saudi relief planes began arriving at Al-Arish International Airport in Egypt, in addition to the Saudi ships, in preparation for transporting relief items to those affected inside the Gaza Strip. It carries on board various relief aid amounting to thousands of tons, including food, medicine and shelter materials, as part of the popular campaign to relieve the brotherly Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, which was directed by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. This comes within the framework of Saudi Arabia’s historical role, which is known to stand with the brotherly Palestinian people in the various crises and tribulations they are going through.

It is worth noting that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has provided material and moral support to Palestine since the beginning of the Palestinian issue. The following tables cover the lists of the aid along with the type of the aid sector.

Top ten sectors:

The total number of projects implemented in Palestine based on the type of sector:

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The first Holy Quran memorization competition was held at the Sri Lankan Ministry of Religions recently.

The event was organized by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, in coordination with the Kingdom’s Embassy in Sri Lanka and in cooperation with the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs (DMRCA). 

Nearly 1,500 students of both genders participated in the competition in eight branches, and 240 from Arabic schools and Quran memorization centers qualified for the finals.

The winners were honoured at a ceremony held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Colombo on Monday at an event attended by Sri Lanka Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana. 

Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Sri Lanka, Khalid Hamoud Alkahtani and Minister of Buddhashasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Vidura Wickremanayake also attended the event. (NewsWire)

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India is emerging as a “major power” in the Middle East, and it is time to take New Delhi’s projection of power in the region seriously, read an article in Foreign Policy, a US-based magazine on global affairs. The author, Steven A Cook, cited one of his previous visits to India after which he said he was sceptical about a future Indian role in the Middle East.

“India and Middle Eastern countries were already intertwined in various ways, of course. There were budding military and technology ties between India and Israel. One could not travel in the Persian Gulf region without noticing that guest workers from the Indian state of Kerala provided the labour that made many of the Gulf countries run. India also imported a lot of oil from the Middle East. Yet after my conversations with officials, diplomats, generals, and analysts, it struck me that Indians did not want to play a larger role in the Middle East,” he wrote in the piece. However, he said he believed that things have changed now and India was emerging as a major player in the Middle East.

“In the 10 years since my trip, however, things have changed. While US officials and analysts are obsessed with every diplomatic move Beijing makes and eye Chinese investment in the Middle East with suspicion, Washington is overlooking one of the most interesting geopolitical developments in the region in years: the emergence of India as a major player in the Middle East,” Cook stated. He added that India-Israel ties are, perhaps, the most well-developed when it comes to New Delhi’s relations in the region.

Although India recognised Israel in 1950, the two countries did not establish normal diplomatic ties until 1992. Since then, especially in recent years, they have deepened their ties. In 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first Indian leader to visit Israel, which was followed by his Israeli counterpart travelling to India the following year. “Beyond the pomp of these visits, India-Israel ties have rapidly developed in a variety of fields, notably high-tech and defence,” he said.

Citing Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Cook stated that Israel was among India’s top three arms suppliers in 2021, and recent Indian news reports indicate that the two countries are exploring the coproduction of weapons systems. Also in the past, India’s business community shied away from investing in Israel, given the country’s small market and controversial politics (to many in India), but that may be changing, he added.

“In 2022, the Adani Group and an Israeli partner won a tender for Haifa Port for 1.2 billion USD. There are also ongoing negotiations for an India-Israel Free Trade Agreement. Of course, the India-Israel relationship is complicated. India remains steadfast in its support for the Palestinians; has friendly ties with Iran, from which New Delhi has purchased significant amounts of oil; and Indian elites tend to see Israel through the prism of their country’s own colonial experience,” he added. Cook further stated that the Gulf, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia were aggressively seeking ways to expand relations with India, which is a significant shift because both countries, but particularly the latter, have long aligned with Pakistan.

“The pivot to India stems in part from a common interest in containing Islamist extremism, but much of the pull is economic. The Emiratis and Saudis see opportunities in a country of 1.4 billion people that is less than a four-hour flight away. So far, the results are positive. In the first 11 months of the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which entered into force in May 2022, non-oil trade between the two countries reached 45 billion USD, which was an almost 7 per cent increase above the previous year,” Cook stated in his piece. The ties between India and UAE propelled through I2U2–a grouping of Israel, India, the UAE, and the United States–which seeks to leverage the combined technological know-how and private capital to address alternative energy, agriculture, trade, infrastructure development, and more, he noted.

Saudi Arabia, which is India’s second-largest supplier of oil and gas, also wants to augment the energy relationship further by adding renewables into the mix. “In April, the Indian new site Siasat.com reported that Riyadh and New Delhi were discussing a plan to link India’s energy grid to the kingdom (and the UAE) via undersea cables. It is unclear whether such an ambitious project will ever come to fruition, but those talks indicate that the Indian and Saudi governments are looking for ways to add to the existing 43 billion USD in trade between the two countries,” he stated in his piece in Foreign Policy.

Citing PM Modi’s recent state visit to Egypt, the author called it an episode in the ongoing Egyptian-Indian love fest, which came about six months after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi being the guest of honour at India’s 74th Republic Day celebration–his third visit to New Delhi since assuming power. “Unlike with Israel, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, trade between India and Egypt is relatively modest, worth about 6 billion USD. The Egyptian authorities, whose economic mismanagement has created a debt crisis and 30 per cent inflation, are seeking help from India. There is also talk of trade in rupees because the Egyptians are short of dollars,” the piece added.

However, Cook said Egypt’s multiple economic difficulties are not the only issues driving the burgeoning relationship, and India also regards Egypt as a gateway through which to send their goods to Africa and Europe. “It is tempting for US policymakers and analysts to view India’s growing role in the region through the prism of great-power competition with China. At a level of abstraction, playing the “India card” seems like a wise move in the new great game,” he stated in his piece.

Citing the long enmity, border disputes, and even armed conflicts between India and China, the author said additional counterweight to Beijing in the Middle East would be helpful as the Biden administration shifts from de-emphasizing the region to regarding it as an area of opportunity to contain China. “And Modi’s visit to Washington in late June was also a love fest, including a state dinner and address to a joint session of Congress,” he added.

However, the author stated that it is “unlikely” that New Delhi wants to be the strategic partner that Washington imagines, keeping in mind India’s closeness with Russia in the past, and even its recent stand during Russia’s war in Ukraine. “New Delhi has condemned the Russian invasion but has not voted to condemn Moscow in the United Nations and is a prodigious procurer of Russian arms and oil,” he wrote.

He stated further that India diverges sharply from the US and Israel on Iran, adding that Washington should temper its expectations about what the expansion of India’s economic and security ties to the Middle East means. “It is unlikely that India will line up with the United States, but it is also unlikely that New Delhi will undercut Washington as both Beijing and Moscow have done,” the author stated.

He added, “The evolution of India’s place in the Middle East reflects the changing international order and the willingness–perhaps even eagerness–of countries in the region to benefit from the new multipolarity”. The author further stated that if the US’ Middle Eastern partners are looking for an alternative to Washington, it is better if New Delhi is among their choices.

“The United States may no longer be the undisputed big dog in the region, but as long as India expands its presence in the Middle East, neither Russia nor China can assume that role,” he added in the piece. (ANI)

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By Khalidh Rizwan

On a million-dollar chartered flight on Sunday (21-05-2023), Saudi Arabia’s first astronauts in decades blasted out for the International Space Station.

The crew was launched by SpaceX under the command of a retired NASA astronaut who is now working for the company that arranged the trip. A U.S. businessman who now runs a sports car racing team is also on board.

Stem cell researcher Rayyanah Barnawi made history by being the first Saudi and Arab woman in space and aboard the station. Ali al-Qarni, a fighter pilot with the Royal Saudi Air Force, joined her. 

Last Monday, Barnawi and Al Qarni joined the seven other astronauts who had already boarded the International Space Station (ISS) together with two additional space travelers. The trip into space is a component of a scientific mission that will include the execution of 14 research experiments in a microgravity setting. Additionally, they would conduct studies on cell biology, human research, and cloud seeding in the microgravity environment.

Barnawi and al-Qarni, whose tickets were sponsored by the Saudi Arabian government, made history as the first Saudi citizens to visit the orbiting outpost. A SpaceX spacecraft carrying four astronauts docked with the ISS around 16 hours after its launch as part of a personal trip organized by Axiom Space. Participation in the mission by Saudi Arabia also serves to advance space science education in the country.

The researchers will spend just over a week there before returning home with a splashdown off the Florida coast. They’re the first from their country to ride a rocket since a Saudi prince launched aboard shuttle Discovery in 1985.

It’s noteworthy that the kingdom established the Saudi Space Commission in 2018 and launched a program last year to send astronauts into space.

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