AP Photo

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia is long overdue. King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz had visited India in January 2006. This was the first visit by a Saudi monarch in 51 years. Dr Singh's reciprocal visit has been on the cards for the last couple of years. His will be the first trip to Saudi Arabia by an Indian Prime Minister since Indira Gandhi's visit in 1982. These dates attest the lost decades in the relationship between the two countries. Nevertheless, the Prime Minister's visit comes at a crucial time in West Asian affairs.

India's relations with Saudi Arabia did not really take off until about a decade back. During the early years of the Cold War, Riyadh put itself firmly in the American camp, whilst New Delhi stood against all alliances. Two...