PM to sign extradition pact with Saudi Arabia

India and Saudi Arabia plan to sign nine pacts, including an Extradition Treaty and an Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners during the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh next month or early March.

The focus of the visit will be to expand the Strategic Partnership that was reached between the two countries during the trip of Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz to New Delhi in January 2006 when he was the Chief Guest for Republic Day.

“A new era of relationship was started when the King visited India in 2006...It opened a new important chapter in the relations. We are going to witness again a new chapter being opened during the long-awaited visit of the Prime Minister,” Saudi Ambassador Faisal H. Trad told journalists in New Delhi.

He said the exact dates for the visit were being finalised but indicated that it could take place either late next month or early March as the two countries had agreed to have the trip in the first quarter of this year. Around 700 Indians are serving sentence in Saudi Arabia while another 700 are under trial, the envoy said, adding no Saudi national was imprisoned here.

- Asian Tribune -