Atir Khan

India’s relations with the Arab world are ancient and time-tested. In the medieval period, Arabic-speaking travelers came to India and chronicled fascinating accounts. Their narratives about India’s richness were an eye-opener for the rest of the world. Recently, India’s outreach in West Asia and North Africa has further consolidated regional ties.  

As India and the Arabic-speaking region make a stronger bond there is curiosity among people of the Arab region to know India better. Keeping this in mind and sync with our editorial policy of inclusiveness, we bring to you our sixth edition- Awaz-The Voice Arabic. This edition will bridge the information gap between India and the Arab world.

Our ties with the Arab world are so deep-rooted that even before the advent of Islam travelers from that region visited India, especially in the South. The movement of people from Arab to India continued even after Islam's advent. Cheraman Juma Masjid at Kodungallur, in Karala, stands as testimony to this relationship.

The first phase of the relationship was linked to trade and commerce. Followed by the cultural ties. Arabic-speaking scholars such as Al Baruni and Ibn Battuta had shown great interest in understanding India and its people. They spent a considerable time in India studying Indian culture and scholarship and their accounts are a great source of historical information.

In the ensuing period, the Arab world could understand India through the information they got from secondary sources, mainly Western media. Awaz-The Voice has become the first indigenous news portal to bring out daily news and views from India in the Arabic language.

Our Arabic edition will cater to the growing appetite for India-related content in West Asia and North Africa. At least twenty-two countries of the world are Arabic-speaking. The people living in that region have shown keen interest in knowing more about Indian people for their cultural and spiritual ties. 

India and the Arab-speaking world have been fostering good relations in diplomacy, security, trade, and culture. India and Arab countries are some of the biggest trade partners in the region. India has a large population of diaspora settled in the Arab region.

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In a short span of four years, Awaz-The Voice has launched editions in six languages. This could not have been possible without the support of our readers/viewers who have shown an overwhelming interest in our content in five other languages English, Urdu, Hindi, Assamese, and Marathi. On reaching yet another milestone we would like to express our gratitude to our readers. We hope our readers in the Arab world will now be able to appreciate our content as well. 

Atir Khan is the Editor-in-Chief of Awaz-the Voice