India and Saudi Arabia Ink Visa Waiver Agreement to Boost Travel and Bilateral Exchanges

Earlier, on December 5, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced that the Parliament of India will constitute the India–Saudi Arabia Parliamentary Friendship Group. Welcoming the Saudi delegation, Birla reiterated that parliamentary diplomacy serves as a vital bridge between nations, enabling deeper mutual understanding, the exchange of best practices, and stronger institutional collaboration.

Birla also expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s continued support of the Indian diaspora residing in the Kingdom. He highlighted the centuries-old religious, cultural, and economic ties between India and Saudi Arabia, noting that high-level exchanges over the past decade have significantly strengthened bilateral relations. Cooperation has expanded across several key areas, including defence, energy, capacity building, and emerging strategic sectors, reinforcing the growing depth of the India–Saudi Arabia partnership.

 India and Saudi Arabia have signed a bilateral Visa Waiver Agreement aimed at facilitating official travel and strengthening people-to-people and institutional exchanges under the India–Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council. The agreement was signed in Riyadh by Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, and Abdulmajeed bin Rashed Alsmari, Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia.

The Visa Waiver Agreement applies to holders of diplomatic, special, and official passports, and is expected to ease movement for government officials and representatives, thereby enhancing cooperation across multiple sectors.

“Enhancing the Strategic Partnership! Ambassador Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan and H.E. Abdulmajeed bin Rashed Alsmari, Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, signed the bilateral Visa Waiver Agreement for holders of diplomatic, special, and official passports today in Riyadh,” the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said in a post. “The agreement will facilitate official travel and boost bilateral exchanges under the India–Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council.”

The announcement was made during a meeting with a high-level Saudi delegation led by Major General Abdul Rahman bin Sanhat Al-Harbi, Chairman of the Saudi–India Parliamentary Friendship Committee. The engagement underscored the growing emphasis both countries place on parliamentary and institutional cooperation as part of their broader strategic engagement.

Earlier, on December 5, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced that the Parliament of India will constitute the India–Saudi Arabia Parliamentary Friendship Group. Welcoming the Saudi delegation, Birla reiterated that parliamentary diplomacy serves as a vital bridge between nations, enabling deeper mutual understanding, the exchange of best practices, and stronger institutional collaboration.

Birla also expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s continued support of the Indian diaspora residing in the Kingdom. He highlighted the centuries-old religious, cultural, and economic ties between India and Saudi Arabia, noting that high-level exchanges over the past decade have significantly strengthened bilateral relations. Cooperation has expanded across several key areas, including defence, energy, capacity building, and emerging strategic sectors, reinforcing the growing depth of the India–Saudi Arabia partnership.