Interaction with H.E. Dr. Sau Mohammad Al-Sati, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to India

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The VIF was privileged to host H.E. Dr. Sau Mohammad Al-sati, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in India, for bilateral talks on 03 May 2017. The interaction began with General NC Vij, Director, VIF, highlighting the growing trajectory of India-Saudi Arabia bilateral relationship, to which trade in energy and people to people contacts have been major contributors over the years. With India and Saudi Arabia upgrading their bilateral engagements to ‘Strategic Partnership’ in 2010 and cooperating in intelligence-sharing on terrorism, cyber and maritime security, the Director foresaw that India’s relationship with Saudi Arabia would continue to move in a positive direction.

As part of his talk to the VIF, the Saudi Ambassador dwelt on his country’s long term developmental plans and strategies, especially the Saudi Arabian ‘Vision 2030’ which, based on the country’s capabilities and strengths, is an ambitious and achievable blueprint for future development. He listed out the three pillars to the Vision 2030: To assert Saudi Arabia’s status as the heart of the Arab world; to establish Saudi Arabia as a powerhouse of global investments, and; to make Saudi Arabia an epicenter of trade and the gateway to the world. H.E. Al-Sati also elaborated on the ‘National Transformation Program 2020’, an interim measure that envisions the requisite institutional capacity and capabilities to achieve the goals of Vision 2030.

Saudi Arabia’s focus towards creating a transparent, accountable and responsive government, its foreign policy objectives, facilities for Haj pilgrimage, counter-terrorism measures adopted, and bilateral initiatives between India and Saudi Arabia from the latter’s perspective, among others, found resonance in H.E. Dr. Sau Mohammad Al-Sati’s talk. The Q&A session which followed H.E. Al-Sati’s presentation witnessed a frank and cordial exchange of views between the two sides. Most questions related to Saudi’s oil reserves, oil pricing, naval build up in the Arabian Peninsula, cooperation in energy and counter-terrorism sectors.