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The Saudi Press Agency reported that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz sent a cable to President Droupadi Murmu of India on the anniversary of the country’s Independence Day. In the message the King wished President Murmu continued good health and happiness while extending the same sentiments to the government and people of India for steady progress and prosperity. King Salman also praised the distinguished relations between the two countries and their shared commitment to advancing cooperation across multiple fields according to the agency.
Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman dispatched a parallel cable to the Indian president the Saudi Press Agency stated. The Crown Prince conveyed wishes for President Murmu’s continued good health and happiness along with steady progress and prosperity for the Indian government and its people. This exchange reflects the ongoing diplomatic engagement maintained between Riyadh and New Delhi on key national occasions.
Separate cables from both King Salman and the Crown Prince went to President Lee Jae Myung of the Republic of Korea on the anniversary of the country’s Liberation Day according to the Saudi Press Agency. The messages expressed hopes for the Korean president’s continued good health and happiness and for steady progress and prosperity for the government and people of Korea. Such routine diplomatic correspondence underscores the breadth of Saudi Arabia’s international partnerships across Asia.
Bilateral trade between Saudi Arabia and India reached 41.88 billion US dollars in fiscal year 2024-25 according to figures from India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade. Saudi exports to India totaled 30.12 billion dollars during that period while Indian exports to the kingdom stood at 11.76 billion dollars. The flows highlight energy as a cornerstone of the relationship with Saudi Arabia supplying a significant share of India’s crude oil imports.
Economic ties with South Korea have similarly deepened with the kingdom serving as that country’s largest source of crude petroleum according to data compiled by the Observatory of Economic Complexity. South Korean imports from Saudi Arabia reached nearly 33 billion dollars in 2022 alone and broader trade volumes have expanded through major investment pacts including a multibillion-dollar agreement involving Saudi Aramco. These commercial links complement the diplomatic gestures extended on national days.
The Saudi Press Agency has documented comparable messages sent by Saudi leaders to counterparts in other nations observing independence or liberation anniversaries in recent years. Such communications typically follow an established protocol that emphasizes mutual respect and a desire for stronger bilateral cooperation. The latest cables to India and South Korea align with this long-standing practice of fostering regional and global partnerships.
