India, Saudi Arabia sign visa waiver agreement for diplomatic and official passports

A new visa waiver agreement between India and Saudi Arabia will ease official travel and enhance cooperation

December 18, 2025

India and Saudi Arabia strengthened bilateral ties with the signing of a visa waiver agreement

India and Saudi Arabia on Tuesday signed a bilateral visa waiver agreement aimed at easing official travel and further strengthening ties under the India–Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council.

The agreement was signed in Riyadh by Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dr Suhel Ajaz Khan and Abdulmajeed bin Rashed Alsmari, Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs at Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The pact will apply to holders of diplomatic, special and official passports, facilitating smoother movement for government officials between the two countries.

Confirming the development, the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said the agreement would boost official exchanges and enhance cooperation across multiple sectors. “Enhancing the Strategic Partnership! The bilateral Visa Waiver Agreement will facilitate official travels and boost bilateral exchanges under the India–Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council,” the embassy said in a post on X.

The signing comes amid growing engagement between New Delhi and Riyadh across political, economic and strategic domains. Earlier this month, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced that the Parliament of India would soon constitute the India–Saudi Arabia Parliamentary Friendship Group.

The announcement was made during a meeting with a high-level Saudi delegation led by Major General Abdul Rahman bin Sanhat Al-Harbi, Chairman of the Saudi–India Parliamentary Friendship Committee from the Shura Council of Saudi Arabia, at Parliament House in New Delhi.

During the interaction, Birla underscored the importance of parliamentary diplomacy as a means to deepen mutual understanding, share best practices and strengthen institutional cooperation. He also highlighted the centuries-old cultural, religious and economic ties between India and Saudi Arabia, noting that sustained high-level exchanges over the past decade have expanded cooperation in areas such as defence, energy, capacity building and emerging strategic sectors.

Birla also expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s continued support for the Indian community in the Kingdom, acknowledging the contribution of the Indian diaspora to Saudi Arabia’s economy and society.

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