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JEDDAH – India’s trade with Saudi Arabia is gradually increasing not only in terms of revenue but range as well, according to Consul General Sayeed Ahmed Baba.
Baba told a press conference here on Saturday that India’s exports to the Kingdom increased from $1.4 billion in 2004-05 to $5.1 billion in 2008-09.
He said that to increase it further the CGI, in cooperation with the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), will hold a two-day ‘mega catalog-cum-product show ’ starting Sunday at the chamber premises.
The show, which will be inaugurated by Mazen Batterjee, vice chairman of the JCCI, “commemorates the recent historic visit of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to Riyadh following the landmark visit of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to India in 2006”.
The consul general said that 300 companies will take part in the show, most of them new to the Saudi market. Some of the companies produce non-traditional products, such as one manufacturing artificial hair.
“It is the beginning of the thrust to showcase and introduce Indian companies to the Saudi business community. It is a sort of testing of the Saudi market for Indian products,” he said, and added that depending on the response received, the catalog show will later be followed by an expo of Indian products.
“We will evaluate the show after it is over and also weigh the opinions and response of the Saudis, before taking further action,” he said.
Consul General Baba said that the signs are good and encouraging as many enquiries are coming in. According to him, a major hospital – AIMS – in Gurgaon, set up by Dr. Trehan, who was with Escort, is seeking collaboration with a Saudi hospital partner here to send patients to India for treatment.
He added that medical tourism, especially to Kerala, is popular and new hospitals being established in Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad are also targeting it, and looking for tie-ups with hospitals in the Kingdom.
Mohammed Rashid Khan, Consul (Commercial) said that India imports 20 percent of its oil requirements from Saudi Arabia.
He said that some of the products exported to Saudi Arabia recently included cathodes and sections of cathodes ($416 million), rice, mainly basmati, ($413m), benzene ($155m), boneless meat of bovine animals ($71.94m), barley ($71m), brass and rods of refined copper ($67.64m) and compressors used in air-conditioning equipment ($65m).
Khan said that bilateral trade has increased from $2.7 billion in 2004-05 to $25 billion in 2008-09. – SG

JEDDAH – Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Pakistani Foreign Minister, is arriving in the Kingdom on April 2. Qureshi will convey a message from President Asif Ali Zardari to King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, focusing on ways to further boost the existing strong bilateral relations.
The minister will also brief the Monarch on the developments in his country and South Asia.
Abdul Aziz Al-Ghadeer, the Kingdom’s Ambassador to Pakistan, said the minister’s visit comes as part of the constant consultation and coordination between the two countries on developments in the Middle East especially in Palestine, Iraq and Iran.
Qureshi will also hold talks with his counterpart, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, covering developments in Pakistan besides the latest regional and global developments. The talks will mainly focus on enhancement of bilateral relations, ways of boosting joint Islamic work and bilateral efforts to combat terrorism, the ambassador said.
A Pakistani source said Qureshi will brief Prince Saud on the outcome of the recent dialogue between Pakistan and India.
Addressing a recent press conference in Islamabad, Qureshi welcomed any mediation by the Kingdom for the improvement of India and Pakistan relations. “Pakistan will never object to such efforts if they come from a friendly country like the Kingdom which has a long history of good relations with Pakistan,” Qureshi was reported by the media as saying. – Okaz/SG

DHAHRAN – “King Faisal – An Observer and a Martyr”, the exhibition showcasing the life and achievements of the third Saudi ruler, has been extended by two weeks because of popular public demand.

A large number of people, especially the youth, have thronged King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Dhahran, the venue of the exhibition, in order to view the era of King Faisal.

Organizers told Saudi Gazette that the exhibition, scheduled to end on March 20, has now been extended until April 7 by public demand. More than 180,000 people have already visited the exhibition, many from the neighboring countries of Bahrain and Kuwait.

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Saudi Arabia can play a major role in solving the Kashmir dispute because the Kingdom is a friend of both India and Pakistan, said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Indian Kashmirs top separatist leader and chairman of the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference, an umbrella organization of pro-independence groups in Jammu and Kashmir.

On a recent visit to the Kingdom on his way to Geneva, Mirwaiz Farooq in an interview with Saudi Gazette, said that it is high time that India “realizes the need to come forward and talk to the Kashmiris, involve them in the dialogue process and talk to Pakistan”.

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RIYADH – Winners of King Abdullah International Prize for Translation will be announced Saturday. Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, Advisor to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, member of the Board of Directors of King Abdul Aziz Public Library and President of the Council of Trustees of the translation prize will patronize the announcement ceremony.

Faisal Bin Moammar, General Supervisor of King Abdul Aziz Public Library, said the prize bolsters cultural contacts among countries and peoples and boosts dialogue among civilizations. He said the great participation in the prize event reflects international support for the Kings civilizational project and his initiative for dialogue.

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RIYADH – A chorus of Pays-Basques singers greeted King Abdullah when he visited the French pavilion on the opening night of the Janadriya festival Wednesday.

He was welcomed to the pavilion, decked out by mini-Eiffel Towers and French-style cafes, by French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand.

In an address Mitterrand praised the Kings promotion of traditional Arab culture, adding: “France, also with age-old traditions… shares with your majesty this unique message.”

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RIYADH – The Emir of Jizan Prince Muhammad Bin Nasser Bin Abdul Aziz, has described the Jizan Village at the Janadriya festival as “reflecting the strength of the regions culture, tourism and economy”.

“Janadyria is a colorful national event representing the history, heritage and tradition of the country since the modern Saudi state was founded by King Abdul Aziz,” said Prince Muhammad after visiting the site Thursday. “Jizan gives a great cultural boost to the festival because of the regions cultural diversity and wealth of traditions.”

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RIYADH – Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, Emir of Riyadh Region, Tuesday night laid the foundation stone of the Prince Salman Science Oasis spread over an area of 200,000 sq. meters along King Abdullah Road in the capital.

Businessmen have put in SR400 million to create the oasis. The Supreme Commission for Riyadh Development Authority will design and build the park that would initially include administrative buildings and eight thematic show halls on earth, space, water, life, energy, technology, awareness, and three dimensional art.

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JEDDAH – The US Consulate celebrated the 234th anniversary of Americas independence with a National Day event here, Tuesday. The event also celebrated the 65th anniversary of the historic meeting on Feb. 14, 1945 between King Abdul Aziz and President Franklin Roosevelt aboard the USS Quincy.

US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia James Smith, Consul General Martin Quinn, and Saudi Foreign Ministry Director General, Makkah Region, Ambassador Mohammed Al-Tayeb welcomed and delivered remarks to the approximately 400 guests at the event.

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RIYADH – Lawyers are partners of judges in fulfilment of justice, Dr. Mohammed Bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, Minister of Justice, said here Tuesday evening.

Addressing a meeting of lawyers at the headquarters of Riyadhs Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the minister expressed his pride in the distinguished steps undertaken by the legal system.

In his speech, the Chairman of the Chambers Board of Directors Abdulrahman Al-Jeraisi commended King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, for the development and restructuring of the judicial system.

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