Indian Scholars welcome initiatives to preserve historical ties between India and the Arab

• The event, held from Feb. 10 to 18, attracted 2,000 exhibitors from around the world.
• The Saudi exhibition showcased books, manuscripts, calligraphy, and handicrafts.
• The foundation played a pivotal role in promoting and preserving the Arabic language and literature.

On Sunday, Indian scholars welcomed initiatives aimed at preserving historical relations between India and the Arab world. Representatives of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Foundation held seminars on Arabic heritage in India as part of the New Delhi World Book Fair. The Kingdom served as the guest of honor at India’s second-oldest book fair, which took place from Feb. 10 to 18 at the Pragati Maidan convention center in the Indian capital and attracted 2,000 exhibitors from around the world.

At the festival, officials and scholars from the Kingdom took part in seminars alongside their Indian counterparts to discuss India’s historical and cultural ties with the Arab world. The Saudi exhibition featured books, manuscripts, calligraphy, traditional musical instruments, and handicrafts. The King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives organized these activities and has established several links with Indian organizations over the years to promote the Arabic language and heritage.

“We have signed MoUs (memorandums of understanding) with many Indian institutions and foundations for collaboration … This country (India) has done many things to promote Arabic heritage. These efforts are spread all over Indian villages and cities. We want to preserve these relations,” the foundation’s CEO, Turki Al-Shuwaier, said during a seminar on Saturday.

In September, the foundation and the National Archives of India signed a preliminary agreement to strengthen research cooperation. This includes facilitating researchers from both countries to conduct their studies and exchanging archival expertise.

Indian scholars who participated in the discussions, which focused on the contributions of Indian foundations and scholars to Arabic heritage, emphasized the importance of such events.

“Seminars like these are important to reassert our historical linkages and tell the audience how deep-rooted the connection between India and the Arab world is,” Prof. Habibullah Khan from the Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi told the News on Sunday.

“Arabic language is not new to India; it came with Muslims and even before Muslims 2,000 years ago. We had commercial ties with the Arab world dating back to before Islam …  After (Indian) independence, Arabic started to be taught in 53 universities across India. They have been producing great research enriching the Arabic language, history, heritage, and literature.”

Prof. Nasim Akhtar, also from the Jamia Millia Islamia University, detailed the various connections between India and the Arab world.

“The books written in Arabic in India on Islamic jurisprudence or other aspects are very popular in the Arab world. India also contributed a lot to the field of Arabic poetry. In the field of linguistics, too, India played a great role in the evolution of the Arabic language,” Akhtar told the News.

He said many important Arabic manuscripts can be found in libraries throughout India, including the Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad and the Maulana Azad Library in Aligarh, known as one of the largest university libraries in Asia.

He highlighted that the King Abdulaziz Foundation played a “pivotal” role in “promoting and preserving Arabic language and literature.”

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