Indian streaming service Saavn has made its first strategic partnership in the Middle East with Viva Bahrain, the country's leading telecom operator and a subsidiary of the Saudi Telecommunications Company (STC), to bring Saavn Pro to South Asian audiences in Bahrain.

As part of the partnership, scratch cards for Saavn Pro - the company's subscription offering - will be distributed at all Viva retail outlets, along with digital distribution of Saavn Pro codes via free SMS, offering Viva's customers one free month of Saavn Pro upon purchasing a one-month subscription.

"Partnering with VIVA enables Saavn to offer our premium, all-inclusive audio experience to a new subscriber base in Bahrain," said Paramdeep Singh, executive chairman and co-founder, Saavn.

"This is only the beginning of our strategic partnership, as we look forward to expanding our rich user experience and high engagement rates with the large South Asian diaspora population across the MENA region."

"We are pleased to partner with a global streaming brand like Saavn to expand VIVA's subscriber services," said Andrew Hanna, chief commercial officer, Viva Bahrain. "Saavn Pro's unlimited download package, in 12 South Asian languages, presents a complete music offering for the Asian community."

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