‘India-Saudi relations reaching new heights’: Dr Suhel Ajaz Khan

News Network

March 4, 2023

Riyadh: Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, asserted that the bilateral relationship between two countries is strong and fast enhancing to its height.

He was addressing the Indian diaspora at a function organized by the Indian community at Hotel Crown Plaza (old Riyadh Palace) in Riyadh-Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last week. He was given felicitation and accorded with the warm welcome by the Indian community.

“In terms of trade and commerce, the KSA is the 4th largest partner of India; the KSA has been a traditionally strongest strategic partner in the energy… As a bilateral partner, there was a worth more than US$ 42 billion trades in 2021-2022; our export to the KSA has been constantly increasing & it's expected to increase by 25% in one year between 2021-22 & 2022-23; there has been a rapid leap in the relation between India & KSA with regard to the defense sector too..." he elucidated.

The Ambassador said that he was appointed as a head of the Indian Embassy-KSA at an exciting time when the Indo-Saudi relationship is being augmented.

Dr Khan asserted that the Kingdom is swiftly being transformed to a new pinnacle in line with the Vision-2030, a brainchild conceived by the Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister for the overall development of the KSA.

India and the Kingdom reached a great milestone in their strategic partnership. Trade, commerce, education, technology, health, investment & energy are some of the sectors where the two countries partnered to the next level of positive growth and development.

Further, he stated that a cultural bridge has also been built to open up an ambience enabling Salman Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Amitha Bachan & other cine stars to make their debut appearances on the stage in the KSA.

Dr Khan voiced his immense appreciations for the contributions of the Indian community, who comprised of more than 2.5 million, towards the progressive development of the KSA. He also expressed his earnest pleasure and gratification for the wholehearted gestures the Saudi Arabian leaderships offered to India.

Dr Khan resumed his office in Riyadh in January this year. Earlier, he was serving as the Indian Ambassador to Lebanon.

There were more than 300 Indian invitees, who attended in the 'Welcoming Ceremony'. Various organizations like Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra, Bihar, Associations, Tamil Sangam represented by Ahmed Imtiyaz, AMU Alumni Association etc, Social/community workers & known individuals in the KSA have welcomed & applauded him by garlanding, offering shawls, presenting boutiques on the occasion.

Karanataka represented by Santosh Shetty, Dr Vanishree Santosh Shetty, Dr Anwar Kurshid, Nelson D'Souza, Usman Gulvadi, Dr P A Hameed Padubidri, Francis Kota, Rajesh Kumar, Pavitra Shetty, Ashraf Kozi (JDS), Dr Kyzer, Viraj Shetty, Jagdish Belchada, Shahul Hameed in Riyadh were present on the occasion to welcome the Ambassador.

Mohammad Zaigham Khan Convener of All India Steering Committee, Shihab Kottukad, Satish and other heads of the various organizations were also there to witness the program. Saleem Tamil Nadu, Mehamoona Abbas and other duos were there to read out the names of the bouquet presenters on the occasion.

(With inputs from Dr P A Hameed Padubidri)

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What Next for NCP? After Ajit Pawar’s Death, Sunetra Pawar Steps Into Spotlight

News Network

January 28,2026

Mumbai: The sudden death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in his hometown of Baramati has plunged the state into political uncertainty, raising a pressing question for both the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and its rival faction, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar): what next?

For the two factions that emerged after the dramatic split of June–July 2023, the moment marks their gravest challenge yet. Many believe the answer now rests with party founder Sharad Pawar.

Sharad Pawar, who founded the NCP in 1999 after parting ways with the Congress over Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origin, has already indicated his intention to step away from electoral politics once his Rajya Sabha term ends in April 2026.

Speaking at a public event in Baramati ahead of his 85th birthday on December 12, 2025, Pawar said he would not contest any further elections. “I have contested 14 elections. The younger generation needs to be given an opportunity,” he said, adding that he would decide later whether to seek another Rajya Sabha term.

Often described as the Bhishma Pitamah of Indian politics, Pawar also spoke of his gradual withdrawal from active leadership. “For the first 30 years, I handled everything. For the next 25–30 years, Ajit Dada handled responsibilities. Now, arrangements must be made for new leadership,” he said.

Ajit Pawar’s death has dramatically altered that transition, especially as he was working towards reunifying the two NCP factions.

“After the developments of June–July 2023 and the 2024 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections, there were deep changes within the family and the party. In the last six months, serious efforts were made to reunite. Even workers from both sides wanted unity. This is a massive blow,” a Pawar family insider told DH over phone from Baramati.

Electoral outcomes over the past year reflected the split. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, NCP (SP) recorded the best strike rate in Maharashtra, winning eight of the 10 seats it contested. The NCP, by contrast, won just one seat out of four.

However, the trend reversed in the subsequent Vidhan Sabha elections, where the NCP emerged stronger, securing 41 of the 288 seats, while NCP (SP) managed only 10.

Within NCP (SP), Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule serves as Working President, followed by leaders such as Rohit Pawar, state president Shashikant Shinde and former state chief Jayant Patil.

In the NCP, Praful Patel is the Working President and Raigad MP Sunil Tatkare heads the state unit. Ajit Pawar’s wife, Sunetra Pawar, is a Rajya Sabha MP, while their sons Parth and Jay are not actively involved in day-to-day politics. Parth Pawar briefly entered electoral politics in 2019 but lost the Lok Sabha election from Maval. Jay Pawar’s political debut was under consideration.

With Ajit Pawar gone, speculation has intensified that a member of the family may be asked to assume a larger role. For now, Sunetra Pawar is expected to play a key coordinating role in party affairs, alongside Patel and Tatkare.

The NCP continues to have several heavyweight leaders, including Chhagan Bhujbal, Hasan Mushrif, Dattatreya Bharne, Manikrao Kokate and Dhananjay Munde.

Ajit Pawar had already begun steps towards reconciliation between the two factions. While they contested the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal elections separately, they later decided to fight the zilla parishad elections together under the ‘clock’ symbol—seen as the first formal step towards reunification.

Nagpur meet and party roadmap

Both NCP factions claim adherence to the ideology of ‘Shiv–Shahu–Phule–Ambedkar’. At the Rashtravadi Chintan Shivir held in Nagpur on September 19, 2025, the NCP reaffirmed its commitment to sarva dharma sambhav and discussed strengthening ties with the BJP “for the welfare and development of Maharashtra”.

In recent days, reports had suggested Ajit Pawar might return to the Maha Vikas Aghadi following the party’s poor performance in Pune municipal elections, but these claims were denied.

Big question for Maha Yuti

Ajit Pawar’s death also presents an immediate challenge for the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maha Yuti government. Pawar held crucial portfolios, including Finance, Planning and Excise. With the Budget Session approaching, appointing a new Finance Minister has become urgent.

Beyond numbers and portfolios, Maha Yuti has lost a swift decision-maker known for his administrative grip and political finesse—leaving a vacuum that will not be easy to fill.

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