India and Saudi Arabia have signed five agreements in the presence of Prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Saudi King Abdullah after extensive delegation level talks between two countries.<br/><br/><br/>These agreements include an Extradition treaty, an agreement on the transfer of sentenced persons, an agreement on scientific cooperation, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and King Abdul Aziz University of Science and Technology on cooperation in peaceful use of outer space, MoUs on cooperation in Science and technology for joint research and development and on cultural cooperation.<br/><br/><br/>Briefing reporters after the signing ceremony, Secretary ( East) in the Ministry of External Affairs Latha Reddy said that two other MoUs were also signed during the visit.<br/><br/>One is between Centre for Development of Advance Computing (C-DAC) and King Abdul Aziz University for Science and Technology and other is media cooperation between Press Trust of India and Saudi Press agency.<br/>She added that two institutional agreements were also signed between TATA motors and Hotil transport for supply of school buses worth 80 million dollars and the other was between Gulf Bureau of Research, Riyadh and DFL, India.<br/><br/><br/>India and Saudi Arabia have signed the Riyad Declaration in Saudi capital paving the way for both the countries to further strengthen their bilateral ties. Built upon the Delhi declaration signed by the two countries in 2006, the Riyad Declaration is poised to take the bilateral relationships of both the countries to the strategic level. The Declaration which was signed by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, re-emphasizes the importance of the full implementation of the Delhi Declaration through exchange of visits at the ministerial, official, business, academia, media and other levels.<br/><br/><br/>Among the issues that are highlighted in this significant document are the reiteration of their desire to develop as knowledge-based economies, developing a broad based economic partnership, working towards strengthening their strategic partnership which includes augmenting investment flow into each other’s countries and strengthening the strategic energy partnership based on complementarity and inter-dependence. Besides, the declaration also renewed condemnation of the phenomena of terrorism.<br/><br/>Extremism and violence, calling upon the international community to resolutely combat terrorism. In this connection, both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in exchanging information relating to terrorist activities, money laundering, narcotics, arms and human trafficking and to develop joint strategy to combat these threats.<br/><br/>The Prime Minister Dr. Singh and the Saudi King also discussed regional issues during their meeting which included the emphasis on making the Middle East and the Gulf region free of nuclear weapons and all weapons of mass destruction; a call for the preservation of Afganisthan’s sovereignty and independence, and the hope that the forthcoming election in Iraq will enable its people to realize their aspirations.