Tuesday, November 22 2005 09:37 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz will be the chief guest at the Republic Day Parade next year.

Abdullah would be the first monarch of Saudi Arabia to visit India in 50 years. King Saud had visited New Delhi in 1955.

Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi had visited Saudi Arabia in 1956 and 1982 respectively.

About 1.5 million Indian passport holders live in Saudi Arabia, which is the largest supplier of oil to India.