New Delhi, Jan. 24: Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Azaz Al Saud touched down today at Delhi airport, where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was waiting to receive him.

King Abdullah arrived two hours late with a more than 250-strong delegation to spend the next three days in India during which he will witness the Republic Day parade, inaugurate a Saudi business exhibition and meet students and faculty of Jamia Milia Islamia.

The Prime Minister, in a special gesture, broke protocol to receive the king. A formal reception awaits the head of the most influential Arab nation tomorrow at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

King Abdullah has made a strong case for granting observer status to India at the Organisation of Islamic Conference. Though the government has not officially reacted to the statement, it is being seen as a positive and forward-looking move.

Experts feel opponents of the proposal will fall in line after the public pronouncement by the king.

“It is a potentially significant move and a positive development,” said Uday Bhaskar of the Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis. Once India, with the second-largest Muslim population in the world, is in the OIC, the perception about Delhi among Islamic nations will change, he said.

At present, persuaded by Pakistan, the OIC regularly churns out anti-India resolutions on Kashmir.

Officials said the king’s visit will have a strong economic component. The Prime Minister and the king will jointly inaugurate an exhibition on Saudi companies and sign a memorandum of understanding on avoiding double taxation.