This article describes cultural relations between India and Saudi Arabia, including agreements, festivals and yoga, together with the Indian community in the Kingdom and the labour agreements that concern Indian workers. The information comes from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief of May 2026.

Cultural cooperation

According to the MEA brief of May 2026, India and Saudi Arabia have a long history of cultural engagements, and in recent years bilateral cultural activities have accelerated in line with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.

A new Ministerial Committee on Tourism and Cultural Cooperation under the Strategic Partnership Council was announced in April 2025. On 09 November 2025, a bilateral MoU on Cultural Cooperation was signed in Riyadh during the visit of India's Minister of Tourism & Culture.

India was the Guest of Honour at the Saudi National Heritage Festival 'Janadriyah' in 2018.

Yoga

The brief states that yoga is growing popular in the Kingdom and is recognised as a Sport activity. The Embassy regularly organises yoga events, including celebrations of the International Day of Yoga.

  • In 2021, an MoU on Yoga Cooperation was signed between the Saudi Ministry of Sports and India's Ministry of AYUSH.
  • Saudi yoga expert Ms. Nouf Marwaai was awarded the Padma Shri in 2018.
  • On the 10th International Day of Yoga in 2024, a Saudi lady instructor led the common yoga protocol for the first time, at the celebrations organised by the Embassy of India, Riyadh, in collaboration with the Saudi Ministry of Sports.

Festivals and events

The Embassy partnered with Samskrita Bharati, which the brief describes as a global organisation dedicated to the promotion of the Sanskrit language, to organise 'Samskritotsava' in Riyadh in 2023. The event consisted of songs, plays and recitations conducted entirely in Sanskrit, and the Prime Minister mentioned it in his November 2023 'Mann ki Baat'.

The Embassy has organised three editions of the Pravasi Parichay festival in Riyadh, with the participation of the diaspora, showcasing Indian culture, art and music. The 3rd edition was held from 28 October to 03 November 2025, with over 1000 artists representing 20 Indian states. It included 'Gita Mahotsav', a musical drama on the message of the Bhagvad Gita, which the Prime Minister mentioned in the 128th episode of Mann Ki Baat.

Other recent events listed in the brief are:

  • a musical performance by Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, organised by the Embassy in Riyadh in February 2025
  • performances by Indian artists and cultural troupes at the ten-day Indian cultural festival at the Suwaidi Park in Riyadh in November 2025, under the Global Harmony initiative of the Saudi government
  • India's participation in the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah in December 2025

Research chair

The Ebrahim Al Kazi Chair of Research was launched at the Saudi Centre for Research and Knowledge Intercommunication, Riyadh, in April 2026, with support from the Saudi Ministry of Culture.

The Indian community

As of the brief, the Indian community in the Kingdom numbers approximately 2.74 million. The brief calls it a living bridge between the two countries and states that the community's contributions to the development of Saudi Arabia are well acknowledged. A number of Indians living in Saudi Arabia have received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards.

Labour cooperation

The brief describes labour-related cooperation as an important aspect of the bilateral relationship. The India-Saudi Joint Committee Meeting on Labor Cooperation was held in April 2025 and again in October 2025.

Agreements on labour and skills listed in the brief are:

  • the Agreement for Domestic Sector Workers, signed in 2014
  • the Agreement for General Category Workers, signed in 2016
  • an Agreement on Skill Verification Program, signed in March 2022 between the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship of India, and Takamol holding, Ministry of Human Resources & Social Development of Saudi Arabia

Workers should seek current information through official channels before taking up employment.