India, Saudi to ink agreement on labour protection

India has invited Saudi Arabia's Labour Minister to ink an agreement aimed at protecting Indian workers from the clutches of middlemen in the Kingdom, one of the top destinations for immigrants from India.
The invitation to the minister was forwarded by Indian Embassy in Riyadh following the approval of a draft bilateral agreement by the Indian Cabinet.
Sibi George, deputy chief of mission at the Indian Embassy, told Arab News that the government has invited the Saudi Labour Minister Adel Fakeih to New Delhi to formalise the agreement.
"We are working out a date for the minister's visit to New Delhi, which we expect to be very soon."

George said a joint committee would be set up to follow up on the implementation of the agreement and that there will be no scope for middlemen to play any role once it is signed.
"The agreement will provide protection for both workers and employers in Saudi Arabia," he said.

An official source at the Labour Ministry said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had received a letter from India.
The move is bound to facilitate a quantum jump in the domestic workers' sector, considering the size and diversity of the population in India, he said.
The 2.8 million plus strong Indian community in Saudi Arabia is the largest expatriate community in the Kingdom.

Once the agreement is formalised, workers will be governed by Saudi labour laws and they will enjoy the privileges and rights granted under the local regulations. It will also help in streamlining the labour market.