India, Saudi Arabia Sign Visa Waiver Agreement to Ease Official Travel

India and Saudi Arabia have signed a bilateral visa waiver agreement in Riyadh to facilitate official travel and strengthen bilateral exchanges under the India–Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council.

The agreement was signed by Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Suhel Ajaz Khan and Abdulmajeed bin Rashed Alsmari, Saudi Arabia’s deputy minister for protocol affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Alsmari signed on behalf of Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah at the ministry’s headquarters in Riyadh.

Under the agreement, holders of diplomatic, special and official passports from both countries will be mutually exempted from short-stay visa requirements.

In a statement, the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said the move is aimed at enhancing the strategic partnership between the two nations. “The agreement will facilitate official travels and boost bilateral exchanges under the India–Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council,” the embassy said.

The visa waiver is expected to streamline the movement of officials and further strengthen cooperation across multiple sectors within the strategic partnership framework between India and Saudi Arabia.