75the organization of international inter-faith dialogues (Thompson 2014 ).
The past is too long to be overcome, and despite the noticeable shifts and
changes, many Indian intellectuals, journalists and the wider public con-
tinue to view the Kingdom as a promoter of radical Islam within India
(Habib 2014 ; Raman 2015 ; Nanjappa 2014 ).
Partly as a response to these lingering suspicions, during the April 2016
visit of Prime Minister Modi to Riyadh, both countries agreed to work
together and cooperate in stopping online radicalization and pursue intel-
ligence sharing to counter extremism and fight terrorism (India, MEA
2016 ). In recent years, the Kingdom has been helping India in the fight
against radicalism and organized crimes by extraditing those accused of
organized crimes in India (India, MEA 2017b).^6
conclusIon
Islam as a vibrant religion and shared cultural heritage provide India and
Saudi Arabia with a unique opportunity to find common grounds. In the
past, it has played a significant role in making India policy towards Saudi
Arabia primarily through haj pilgrimage. However, due to Pakistan factor
and Saudi-Pakistan enthusiasm for pan-Islamism, this common heritage
became a strategic liability. With the changing geopolitical and regional
dynamics and the growing criticisms of Pakistan over its continued sup-
port for radical Islam and jihadi terrorist groups, India and Saudi Arabia
can find common grounds based on the Islamic heritage and its positive
influence upon their citizens.
reFerences
Agwani, M. S. (1986). Islamic Fundamentalism in India. Chandigarh: Twenty-
First Century India Society.
Ahmad, Irfan. (2009). Islamism and Democracy in India: The Transformation of
Jamaat-e-Islami. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Ahmad, M. (1969). Indo-Arab Relations: An Account of India’s Relations with the
Arab World from Ancient up to Modern Times Part I. New Delhi: Popular
Prakashan.
(^6) Indian nationals extradited or deported for involvement in terror financing or online radi-
calization from Saudi Arabia include Zabiuddin Ansari (June 2012); A. Rayees and Fasih
Mohammad (October 2012); Asadullah Khan (December 2015); Abdul Aziz and Adil
Afrooz (February 2016); Abdul Salam (December 2016); Sayed Zaker Raheem (January
2017); Amzad Khan (April 2017); and Zeeshan Ali (August 2017).
ISLAMIC DIMENSION