On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his two-day official visit to Kuwait. During his stay, he will hold bilateral talks with the Gulf country’s leadership and meet the Indian diaspora.
PM Modi was invited by Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to visit the country. In 1981, Indira Gandhi was the last Prime Minister to visit the nation. Indian officials said that bolstering defence and security cooperation will be a key focus of the visit.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, talks for a bilateral investment treaty and a defense cooperation pact with Kuwait are now in progress.
Arun Kumar Chatterjee, the ministry’s secretary for overseas Indian affairs, told a media house that the visit is anticipated to conclude several bilateral agreements. In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which is now led by Kuwait, he said the visit is anticipated to improve relations between India and the organisation.
PM Modi said before leaving that he would have the chance to outline a plan for a future collaboration between the two countries during his discussions with top Kuwaiti officials.
He stated, “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. 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”.
India-Kuwait trade relationship
India is one of Kuwait’s most important trading partners. Additionally, there are a lot of Indian expats in the nation; thirty percent of the workforce is Indian.
The Indian Embassy in Kuwait claims that Indian workers are the most numerous members of the private sector and domestic sector (DSW) workforce.
In the fiscal year 2023–2024, bilateral trade between India and Kuwait was valued at USD 10.47 billion, making it one of India’s top trading partners. Three percent of India’s energy demands are met by crude from Kuwait, which ranks as the sixth-largest source.
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