PM-SAUDI 2

The Saudi Ambassador noted that the Indians accounted for
a very less percentage of those held for crimes in his country
and the majority of offences against them were lack of proper
documents or carrying drugs.

The two countries will also sign an agreement to set up a
Joint Investment Fund with a corpus of 750 million dollars,
for which Saudi Arabia will contribute 500 million dollars and
India the rest.
The decision to set up the fund was taken during the visit
of the then Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee
to Riyadh in April 2008. The fund will be utilised for
infrastructure development.
Two pacts will be signed in the field of science and
technology and IT and two more will be inked in the education
sector providing for establishment of linkages between
universities and educational institutes.
Asked whether any pact on curbing money laundering would
be signed, Trad said this area was covered by international
treaties of which India and Saudi Arabia were a part.
To a question on visas, the Saudi envoy said his
government had started implementing strictly the rules under
which police certificates would be required for incoming
travellers.
The Saudi Embassy in Delhi and Consulate in Mumbai are
also renewing conditions for travel agents for registration as
it was found that a number of them did not even have an
office, he said.
A large number of Indians travel to Saudi every year, he
said, adding the Embassy and the Consulate issued six lakh
visas last year besides 1.6 lakh for Haj pilgrims. MORE PTI
AKK
RBT


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