India loses a 'great friend' In King Abdullah's death

[Judge]

In King Abdullah's death, India loses a 'great friend'


RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah was a "great friend" of India, a country he once called his second home, as it was under his rule that the foundation for the bilateral strategic partnership was laid and ties gained momentum.

King Abdullah, 90, passed away today and was succeeded by his 79-year-old half-brother Salman as the new ruler.

"During King Abdullah's rule, the foundation for the India-Saudi Arabia strategic partnership was laid and bilateral ties gained momentum as reflected in the Delhi Declaration (2006) and Riyadh Declaration (2010)," India's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Hamid Ali Rao told PTI.

He made a historic visit to India in January 2006 as the Chief Guest of Republic Day celebrations and the trip opened a new chapter in the Indo-Saudi bilateral relations.

King Abdullah was the first Saudi king to visit India in 51 years.

During the visit, King Abdullah referred to India as his "second home" and signed the 'Delhi Declaration', the first such bilateral document ever inked by a Saudi King which provided a comprehensive road map for bilateral relations.

Read more at:
In King Abdullah's death, India loses a 'great friend' - The Economic Times

 

[TimeTraveller]

RIP...

 

[Prajapati]

RIP. He was a good King.

 

[anilindia]

Long live India-ksa friendship

 

[al-Hasani]

It was under King Abdullah's rule that such personal exchanges between the people of Saudi Arabia and India took place.

Courtesy of @ranjeet who once showed me that nice video.

 

[greatone]

RIP.

I recall "King" is more than a purely ceremonial role in KSA.
Members of royal family hold all portfolios like PM, DM,FM etc.

Does that mean that the new king will have different policies to the previous king ?
And if so, what is new king's stance towards India ?

 

[Echo_419]

It was under King Abdullah's rule that such personal exchanges between the people of Saudi Arabia and India took place.

Courtesy of @ranjeet who once showed me that nice video.

Indeed we have lost a great friend in SA

 

[Lord ZeN]

RIP.
I recall "King" is more than a purely ceremonial role in KSA.
Members of royal family hold all portfolios like PM, DM,FM etc.

KSA is an absolute monarchy. So King is not a mere ceremonial post... King Abdullah had the full power of head of a state. And was in complete control of entire state affair. None of the family members & ministers were above or even close to him in terms of authority.

 

[al-Hasani]

RIP.

I recall "King" is more than a purely ceremonial role in KSA.
Members of royal family hold all portfolios like PM, DM,FM etc.

Does that mean that the new king will have different policies to the previous king ?
And if so, what is new king's stance towards India ?

There are several important posts both in the government and military that are not held by House of Saud members but regular Saudi Arabians. (read non-royals).

KSA is an absolute monarchy. So King is not a mere ceremonial post... King Abdullah had the full power of head of a state. And was in complete control of entire state affair. None of the family members & ministers were above or even close to him in terms of authority.

In theory this is true but the king has not such powers in reality. For instance King Saud was removed from power due to his incompetence. So it's not like the Japanese Emperor before 1945 who was almost seen as a God and infallible.

He has big powers but not unlimited.

 

[Prajapati]

RIP.

I recall "King" is more than a purely ceremonial role in KSA.
Members of royal family hold all portfolios like PM, DM,FM etc.

Does that mean that the new king will have different policies to the previous king ?
And if so, what is new king's stance towards India ?

The new king "Salman" is the one who funded and supported Osama Bin Laden, so take a wild guess

 

[Lord ZeN]

In theory this is true but the king has not such powers in reality. For instance King Saud was removed from power due to his incompetence. So it's not like the Japanese Emperor before 1945 who was almost seen as a God and infallible.
He has big powers but not unlimited.

I never knew King of KSA could be removed. Can Al Saud remove him by something similar to impeachment ?

 

[al-Hasani]

The new king "Salman" is the one who funded and supported Osama Bin Laden, so take a wild guess

I never knew King of KSA could be removed. Can Al Saud remove him by something similar to impeachment ?

There is the Allegiance Council.

Allegiance Council - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Executive Law Of The Saudi Allegiance Commission | SUSRIS

Shura Council as well as the clergy who have a lot to say.

Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[ali_raza]

I never knew King of KSA could be removed. Can Al Saud remove him by something similar to impeachment ?

it heppend in past

 

[Lord ZeN]

it heppend in past

Yeah .. Now i know.

 

[al-Hasani]

it heppend in past

Eventually KSA will move towards a constitutional monarchy as more reforms take place. It will take some time though. Democracy in the ME/Muslim world/third world countries/developing countries currently (although I consider it a very good system in countries and societies were people know its value and how to treat it so to say) is often damaging. Just look at Iraq. They can never reach a consensus so the problems remain and there is often political chaos. While in the GCC everything moves faster. There is stability too. So for now it's not bad as long as you accept that you do not have unlimited civil and social rights in the Western sense of the word.