NEW DELHI: Terrorist groups have hijacked Islam and Saudi Arabia will make all efforts to "combat terrorism and extremism and drain terrorist and extremist groups of resources", according to Saudi Ambassador to India Delivering an address on 'Saudi-India Relation: Continuity and Change' at the Centre for West Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University here on Thursday, Al-Sati, however, said that "Saudi Arabia is not given enough and proper credit for its leading role in fighting extremism and terrorism at the local, regional and international levels", a role that has been praised by major international intelligence agencies.He claimed, a section of Western media and analysts do gross injustice to the Saudi Kingdom by accusing it of exporting extremist ideology or supporting violent extremism.The envoy noted that it is illogical and irrational for Saudi Arabia to remain anywhere but at the forefront of nations combating this scourge, and said the Kingdom has been a target of diverse terrorist groups for a long time. He said these go as far back as 1996, when Osama bin Laden issued his first fatwa against the Kingdom, this taking place after "we revoked his citizenship and closed his access to his bank accounts two years prior".Pointing out terrorists do not practise or preach any religion, Al-Sati said terrorists simply hijack religion, "as they have hijacked Islam, and in the name of Islam they kill Muslims and non-Muslims.He said terrorism was a common concern for both Saudi Arabia and India and the two countries were closely cooperating in fighting it, including through exchange of information and intelligence. He said both countries had signed several agreements in the field of security, including an extradition treaty, and during the April visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the kingdom, the two sides decided to further enhance cooperation in counter-terrorism operations, intelligence sharing and law enforcement.The envoy highlighted the "strong bonds of friendship" between the two countries and its people that was deeply rooted in history, and said a "vital aspect of our specific relations is the presence of over three million Indian citizens in Saudi Arabia", who were not only contributing to the progress and development of both countries but also serving as an important cultural bridge between the peoples.He said the two countries were now strategic partners and among the top trading partners with each other. "Saudi Arabia remains a major pillar for India's energy security, and our partnership in the fields of investment, joint ventures, and transfer of technology projects is steadily growing."The envoy stated that India is a primary focus of the Kingdom's campaign to court foreign investors and 426 licences have been issued to Indian companies to invest in the Kingdom, and long-established Indian companies like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Larsen & Toubro have made very significant investments in the Gulf country.The seminal "Saudi Vision 2030", which aims at attracting huge investments and building of massive manufacturing facilities and infrastructure, offers a range of opportunities for Indian businesses, he noted.