RIYADH : The agreement was signed at the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Riyadh by Abdulmajeed bin Rashed Al-Smari, Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Protocol Affairs, on behalf of Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and India’s Ambassador to the Kingdom, Dr Suhel Ajaz Khan.

While the pact applies to a limited category of travellers, officials and mobility experts say it removes a significant administrative bottleneck. Indian government delegations have often faced delays of up to four weeks for Saudi visa processing, leading to last-minute itinerary changes and cost overruns for contractors involved in bilateral projects.

The exemption is expected to accelerate high-level visits, joint-committee meetings and on-ground project monitoring across key sectors such as energy, defence and infrastructure. It also comes amid a broader upswing in India–Gulf relations, with bilateral trade between India and Saudi Arabia crossing US$52 billion in FY 2025.

Both governments have recently expanded the Strategic Partnership Council to include semiconductors, green hydrogen and tourism. Easier official-level travel is likely to speed up negotiations in these areas and help meet ambitious project timelines linked to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and India’s National Logistics Policy.

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