Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, Emir of Riyadh region, is to begin Sunday his official four-day visit to India to discuss with Indian President Pratibha Patil and Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari international developments and bilateral relations. Stressing the importance of Prince Salman's visit, Indian State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shashi Tharoor said that King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has a vision for strengthening relations with New Delhi. Tharoor said that the King is playing an effective role in enhancing security and stability in the Mideast, in addition to his peace initiatives not only in the region but all over the world. He said Prince Salman's visit provides an opportunity to generate purposeful ideas for more cooperation between the two countries. He said Saudi-Indian relations have been growing since the announcement of the Riyadh Declaration, noting that improving the bilateral relations to the level of strategic partnership that covers all domains would give the chance to go for more “diverse and rich horizons.” That visit constituted a consolidation of relations the foundations of which were laid during King Abdullah's visit to India in 2006. The minister said the two countries are keen to develop their economies. He also spoke of cooperation in the domain of energy that is based on integration and mutual dependence including fulfilling India's increasing petroleum needs. Sources in the Indian government said that Prince Salman is scheduled to meet with the President Patil, Vice President Ansari, and the Indian Foreign Minister SM Krishna. The Prince will also attend a special gathering organized by the Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and pay visits to the Saudi School in New Delhi, the Jamia Millia Islamia University, and the town of Agra to see the Taj Mahal.
