India, Saudi agree to grant multiple entry visas to businessmen

Siraj Wahab
Riyadh, Nov 1 (PTI) Taking forward their economic ties,
India and Saudi Arabia have agreed to grant long-term,
multiple entry visas to businesspersons to facilitate their
frequent visits and decided to strengthen cooperation in
fields like customs, science and technology and oil, gas and
minerals.
The decision followed extensive discussions at the eighth
session of the Indo-Saudi Joint Commission at the Riyadh
Conference Palace Saturday, during which India's Finance
Minister Pranab Mukherjee led the Indian side while the
kingdom's delegation was headed by its Commerce and Industry
Minister Abdullah Zainal Alireza.
The new scheme, under which long-term, multiple entry
visas would be granted to entrepreneurs, would facilitate
frequent business visits from both sides and enhance bilateral
economic and commercial exchanges, officials said.
The Indian and Saudi sides held talks on a plethora of
issues ranging from economic and commercial exchanges,
investment, security to labour, visas and community welfare.
The two sides also decided to cooperate in the fields of
customs and oil, gas and minerals, apart from strengthening
cooperation in the science and technology sector. New areas of
cooperation such as engineering, agricultural and higher
education were also discussed.
"The Indo-Saudi Joint Commission meeting was fruitful and
brought in new vistas of cooperation thereby deepening the
economic and commercial relations," Mukherjee told reporters.
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