India will be the guest of honour at the national heritage festival, famously known as the Janadriyah festival, in Riyadh in February 2018, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador in New Delhi, Dr. Saud Bin Mohammed Al Sati, has announced.

Responding to the announcement, Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, said it was an honour for his country to be the guest of honour at the next festival.

The Ambassador was speaking at "Idea Exchange" a programme organised by The Indian Express newspaper, in which, prominent people address the editorial board, senior journalists and other invitees for wide-ranging discussion on topical issues of current interest.

The UAE was the guest of honour at the Janadriyah festival in 2014.

The Kingdom’s highly acclaimed annual festival is usually held in February at the Al Janadriyah heritage village on the outskirts of Riyadh. Last year the festival attracted a record 1.15 million visitors.

The Indian special participation in the popular event is part of a new thrust in New Delhi’s relations with Gulf states since Narendra Modi became Prime Minister three years ago. He has subsequently visited both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.