RIYADH: Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar joined Saudi dignitaries and businessmen at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh to celebrate India’s 71st Republic Day. Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ausaf Sayeed hosted the event to honor the historic date of Jan. 26, 1950, when India’s constitution came into effect and the country became a republic. Prince Faisal released a special publication on India-Saudi relations to mark the anniversary. Sayeed told the gathering that India and Saudi Arabia’s relationship has evolved into a multi-faceted and mutually beneficial strategic partnership. “I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Saudi leadership for their strong support in elevating the bilateral relations between our countries into a strategic partnership, and for ensuring the well-being of the 2.6 million Indian nationals who live in the Kingdom.” he said. “The leadership of both countries is keen to strengthen and expand bilateral relations in diverse fields such as trade, investments and economic cooperation, infrastructure, security and defense cooperation, energy security, food security, health care, entertainment, civil aviation, tourism and culture, along with people-to-people engagement.” The envoy said that an agreement to form a Strategic Partnership Council between the two countries during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Kingdom in October 2019 marks a new era in bilateral relations. Earlier Sayeed read out the president’s message to a gathering of more than 600 members of the Indian community. In Jeddah, Indian Consul General Noor Rahman Sheikh hosted the National Day reception with Hani Kashif, director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs protocol department, as chief guest. Sheikh highlighted the consulate’s efforts to look after the welfare of the 1 million-strong Indian community in the western region of the Kingdom.