Manmohan Singh's Saudi Arabia Visit

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Saudi Arabia visit has been very successful and both objectives of strengthening bilateral relations and increasing pressure on Pakistan seem to have been fulfilled. Saudi Arabia has great influence over Islamic nations of the world.

There is a traditional reason for one, as the holy places of Mecca and Medina are situated there, and second, the economic reason, i.e., its coffers full of petro-dollars with which it helps many countries. Pakistan is among the main countries that have benefited from Saudi Arabian coffers.
Looking at the coverage given to the Prime Minister's visit in the Saudi Arabian media, it seems that Riyadh is aware of India's growing stature. Saudi Arabia knows that India would play a big role in future international politics. These things have been confirmed during the first visit of any Indian Prime Minister to Saudi Arabia in the past three decades.

Pakistan Factor
While calling Pakistan a friendly nation, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said in a straightforward manner that activities of terrorist elements in Pakistan are a matter of concern. However, Saudi Arabia's record in this matter has not been good. The demon that has raised its head in Pakistan was nurtured on petro-dollars of Saudi Arabia for decades. It was during Ziaul Haque's rule, that there was fundamentalist Islamization of Pakistan and it was done in those thousands of madrasahs that were built with Saudi Arabian money, where mujahidin were being prepared for Jihad in Afghanistan. Apart from Pakistan and United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia was the third country that had recognized the Taliban.

Before the 11 September 2001 attack in New York, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were countries that patronized the Taliban. Salafi and Wahabi fundamentalist sects hold sway in Pakistan. The Saudi Arabian rulers are responsible for it. However, Saudi Arabia has changed in the post 11 September 2001, changed world. It is fighting with Al-Qa'ida on its own soil and is playing the role of a friend of the United States in Central Asia.

International Diplomacy
Saudi Arabia does not have a lot of hopes from Pakistan, because Pakistan is continuously going backward socially and economically, while India's graph is going upward. Practicality always weighs heavy in international diplomacy and power balance. The principle of practicality says that India and Saudi Arabia should increase mutual cooperation. Pakistan is on the margins in relations between these countries and it is better if it stays there.

Thousands of Indians working in that country will enjoy maximum benefit with this increasing cordiality in relationship. Reports of dishonest agents luring Indians to lucrative jobs and sending them to Saudi Arabia are received quite often. Their passports are snatched away on their arrival, and they are forced to live a life worse than slaves. These Indian laborers are expected to receive justice in the Saudi Arabian system with this new friendship being forged between the countries.