PM Modi launches historic two-day visit to Kuwait

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi left Kuwait on Saturday morning for a two-day visit, the first by an Indian prime minister in 43 years. “We are not only strong trade and energy partners, but we also share a common interest in peace, security, stability and prosperity in the West Asian region,” Modi said in a statement before embark on the journey.

“We deeply appreciate the historical bond with Kuwait that has been nurtured over generations,” he said, adding that he looks forward to his meetings with the Amir, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Kuwait.

India and Kuwait are expected to focus on strengthening ties in a number of key areas, including defense and trade, during the Prime Minister's visit to the Gulf country. Modi will hold talks with top Kuwaiti leaders, visit an Indian labor camp, address the Indian community and attend the opening ceremony of the Gulf Cup football tournament.

A day before the prime minister's trip, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA) said discussions were underway with Kuwait on a bilateral investment treaty and a defense cooperation pact.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, MEA Overseas Indian Affairs Secretary Arun Kumar Chatterjee said a few bilateral documents are likely to be finalized during the Prime Minister's visit. “The Prime Minister's historic visit is expected to open a new chapter in bilateral relations between India and Kuwait,” he said.

“This will not only consolidate the partnership in existing areas, but also unveil new avenues for future cooperation, strengthen our common values ​​and build a stronger and more dynamic partnership for the future,” he added. Chatterjee said the visit is also expected to strengthen ties between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

The GCC is an influential group comprising the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. India's total trade volume with GCC countries stood at $184.46 billion during the financial year 2022-23. Kuwait is the current chair of the GCC.

Chatterjee said India was holding negotiations with the GCC for a free trade agreement. We hope both sides can conclude it, he added. Commenting on Modi's planned visit to a labor camp in Kuwait, Chatterjee said the Indian government attaches considerable importance to the welfare of all Indian workers abroad.

“The idea of ​​the Prime Minister's visit to the labor camp is to express the importance that the Indian government attaches to our workers. This is the primary aim,” he said. More than 45 Indians were killed in June in a devastating fire in a building housing foreign workers in the town of Mangaf, southern Kuwait.

The Prime Minister is visiting Kuwait at the invitation of Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Besides meeting the Emir, Modi will also hold talks with the Crown Prince of Kuwait and the Prime Minister. “This visit would help develop a more vibrant partnership between the two countries,” Chatterjee said.

Modi will review with Kuwaiti leaders all bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of trade, investment, energy, culture and people-to-people contacts, he said. Kuwait's crown prince will also host a banquet for Modi, he added. The last Indian Prime Minister to visit Kuwait was Indira Gandhi in 1981.

India is one of Kuwait's major trading partners. The Indian community is the largest expatriate community in Kuwait. The Gulf country is among India's major trading partners, with bilateral trade valued at $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.

Indian exports to Kuwait reached $2 billion for the first time, while Kuwait Investment Authority's investments in India exceed $10 billion. India and Kuwait enjoy traditionally friendly relations, with ties dating back to pre-oil Kuwait, when maritime trade with India was the backbone of its economy.

Kuwait's economy revolved around its fine port and maritime activities, which included shipbuilding, pearl diving, fishing and voyages to India on wooden dhows carrying dates, Arabian horses and pearls which were exchanged for wood, cereals, clothing and spices, according to the sources following the links. between the two nations.

The Indian rupee remained legal in Kuwait until 1961, a symbol of enduring economic and cultural ties. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were formally established in 1961, with India initially represented by a trade commissioner. Amir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jabar Al Sabah visited India on a private visit in July 2017. The last high-level visit of both sides was that of the Prime Minister of Kuwait to India in 2013.

Learn more:

1. PM Modis' Gulf Diplomacy: Historic visit to Kuwait expected to strengthen energy, economic ties
2. Prime Minister Modi will visit Kuwait on December 21-22, marking the first visit by the Indian Prime Minister in 43 years