New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a two-day visit to Kuwait from Saturday to boost ties in defence and trade sector that would help open a new chapter in bilateral relations, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday.
The MEA announced that India is seeking to strengthen ties with Kuwait across various sectors, including defence and trade. The visit by Prime Minister Modi comes at the invitation of Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
During his trip, Modi will engage in discussions with Kuwait’s leadership and meet with members of the Indian community. This will be the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Kuwait in the last 42 years with the last being by Indira Gandhi in 1981.
PM Modi’s schedule for Kuwait visit
About 10 lakh Indians are living in Kuwait. The prime minister will meet with members of the Indian community and also visit a labour camp to convey the message that the Indian government prioritises their welfare.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Modi will address around 4,000-5,000 Indians at the Al Abdullah Indoor Sports Complex. Following this, he will attend the opening ceremony of the Gulf Cup football tournament.
On Sunday, he will hold official engagements, including meetings with the Emir of Kuwait and the Crown Prince.
India-Kuwait ties
India is one of Kuwait’s key trading partners and hosts the largest expatriate community in the country. Bilateral trade between the two nations reached USD 10.47 billion in the financial year 2023-24.
Kuwait is India’s sixth-largest supplier of crude oil, fulfilling 3% of the country’s energy requirements. Indian exports to Kuwait surpassed USD 2 billion for the first time, while investments from the Kuwait Investment Authority in India have exceeded USD 10 billion.
The relationship between India and Kuwait has historically been warm, with ties dating back to pre-oil Kuwait when maritime trade with India formed the backbone of its economy. Kuwait’s economy once centred around its well-situated harbour and maritime industries, including shipbuilding, pearl diving, fishing, and voyages to India on wooden dhows.
These ships carried dates, Arabian horses, and pearls to India, where they were exchanged for wood, cereals, clothing, and spices, according to experts familiar with the nations’ shared history.
