Lok Sabha Election 2024, Phase 1: Voting on 102 seats underway
In the first phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024, as many as 102 constituencies spanning across 21 states and Union Territories will elect their new MPs.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj reached Saudi Arabia today, 6 February, for a two-day visit to the country. This is Swaraj’s first visit as External Affairs Minister to the West Asian kingdom.
Swaraj was welcomed at the airport by Saudi officials and Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmad Javed.
She will participate in the inauguration ceremony of the Al Janadriyah festival on 7 February at which India is the ‘Guest of Honour’. The festival, organised by the National Guard, is the kingdom’s biggest cultural event. Millions visit the country during the two-week-long festival to witness a host of events such as camel race and musical programmes.
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Swaraj’s visit comes at a time when the Kingdom has recently emerged out of a political upheaval involving a crackdown on many princes. The shake-up saw Mohammed Bin Salman, the kingdom’s powerful defence minister, emerge as the Crown Prince.
Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh said in a joint press conference with Saudi Minister of National Guard Prince Khalid bin Abdulaziz bin Muhammad bin Eyaf al-Muqrin Al-Saud, that the Indian pavilion at the festival will “comprise glimpses of traditional and modern India”.
Swaraj will also meet the Saudi leadership and discuss ways to enhance the increased economic and strategic ties between India and Saudi Arabia.
The Kingdom is India’s fourth largest trade partner after China, the US and the UAE, and is home to more than 3 million Indians, many of whom are migrant workers.
The volume of bilateral trade during 2016-17 was recorded at $25.079 billion, a slight decrease from the $26.71 billion in 2015-16.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited the Kingdom in April 2016. He was conferred with the King Abdulaziz Sash – the country’s highest civilian honour – by King Salman bin Abdulaziz at the Royal Court.
PM Modi will be on a state visit to Palestine, the UAE, and Oman from 9-12 February.
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