Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah had invited PM Modi to Kuwait. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kuwait on Saturday for a two-day official trip. During his stay, he will hold bilateral talks with the Gulf country’s leadership and meet the Indian diaspora.
Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah had invited PM Modi to Kuwait. Indira Gandhi was the last PM to visit the country in 1981. Indian officials said that bolstering defence and security cooperation will be a key focus of the visit. The Ministry of External Affairs also said discussions were underway with Kuwait for a bilateral investment treaty and a defence cooperation agreement.
Arun Kumar Chatterjee, secretary (Overseas Indian Affairs) in the ministry, told HT that some bilateral agreements are expected to be finalised during the visit. He said that the visit is expected to strengthen ties between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), currently chaired by Kuwait. Before departing, PM Modi said his talks with top Kuwaiti leadership would be an opportunity to chalk out a roadmap for a futuristic partnership between the two nations.
“I look forward to my meetings with His Highness the Amir, the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister of Kuwait. It would be an opportunity to chalk out a roadmap for a futuristic partnership for the benefit of our people and the region,” he said.
“We deeply value the historical connection with Kuwait that has been nurtured over generations. We are not just strong trade and energy partners but also have shared interest in peace, security, stability and prosperity in the West Asia region,” he added.
India-Kuwait trade relationship
India is one of the top trading partners of Kuwait. The country also has a sizable population of Indian expats; 30 percent of the country’s workforce is Indian. Indian workers top the Private Sector as well as domestic sector (DSW) workforce list, according to the Indian Embassy in Kuwait. Kuwait is among India’s top trading partners, with bilateral trade valued at USD 10.47 billion in the financial year 2023-24.
Kuwait is India’s sixth largest crude supplier, meeting 3 percent of the country’s energy needs.
