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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is committed to establishing long-standing, historic, and deep relations with all Gulf countries, will visit Kuwait for two days beginning Saturday, the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the vital West Asian country in 43 years.
“India and Kuwait share traditionally close and friendly relations which are rooted in history and have been underpinned by economic and strong people to people linkages. India is among the top trading partners of Kuwait. The Indian community is the largest expatriate community in Kuwait. The visit will provide an opportunity to further strengthen the multifaceted ties between India and Kuwait,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said ahead of PM Modi’s historic visit.
During the tour, the Prime Minister will meet with Kuwait’s leadership, notably Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Emir of the State of Kuwait, as well as interact with the country’s substantial Indian population.
PM Modi will be greeted by a Ceremonial Guard of Honour at the Bayan Palace, followed by separate one-on-one talks with Kuwait’s Emir and Crown Prince. It will be followed by delegation-level meetings with Kuwait’s Prime Minister during which both sides will assess the whole spectrum of bilateral relations, including areas such as politics, trade, investment, energy, culture, people-to-people contacts, and the steps needed to further strengthen them.
“India and Kuwait share an age-old bond characterized by historical ties, robust economic exchanges, and vibrant cultural connections,” MEA Secretary (CPV & OIA) Arun Kumar Chatterjee told reporters on Friday.
Ahead of the historic visit, the MEA stated that India’s relations with the Gulf area have undergone a significant transition, and the Prime Minister has placed a “special emphasis” on strengthening and deepening relationships with the Gulf countries.
Kuwait presently holds the chairmanship of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which includes the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar. It is the only GCC member country that PM Modi has not visited since taking office in 2014. A planned visit in 2022 has been postponed because of the Covid epidemic.
Gulf countries are India’s primary trade and investment partners, and New Delhi has a strong energy partnership with them.
During his visit, PM Modi will connect with the Indian diaspora at a community event and will also visit a labour camp. He will also attend the opening ceremony of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup as a special guest of the Emir of Kuwait.
“The government of India attaches considerable importance to the welfare of all workers abroad. We have a community of around one million Indians in the country. The purpose of the Prime Minister’s visit to the labour camps is to emphasise the importance the government of India places on the welfare of our workers in foreign countries,” stated Chatterjee.
Earlier this month, as he called on PM Modi at his Lok Kalyan Marg residence during his visit to New Delhi, Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya had extended an invitation to the Prime Minister from the Kuwait leadership to visit the country “at the earliest opportunity which the PM had graciously accepted.
A few hours later, as he held the delegation-level talks with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar at the Hyderabad House, Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya called India as a “very important partner” and Prime Minister Modi as “one of the wisest persons” in the world.
“I would like to thank you for the invitation and also for the opportunity of meeting Prime Minister Modi, who we believe is one of the wisest persons worldwide. I am sure that the Prime Minister puts India on a better level, and I am sure that he will continue that… India is a very important partner and we count on our relationship,” the visiting Foreign Minister said in the meeting held on December 4.
In September, PM Modi met with Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait, on the margins of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, marking their first meeting.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Modi emphasized the significant historical ties and people-to-people connections between the two countries, stating that India places “utmost importance” on its bilateral relations with Kuwait.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) later stated that the meeting of the two nations’ leaders is intended to provide “fresh momentum” to bilateral relations between India and Kuwait.
“They noted with satisfaction that the two countries were supporting each other with energy and food security requirements. They expressed their firm commitment to deepen and diversify bilateral ties for the mutual benefit of both countries. Prime Minister thanked the Crown Prince for ensuring the well-being of the Indian community in Kuwait, which is the largest diaspora group in the country,” read a statement issued by the MEA on September 22, 2024.
During his conversations with the visiting Kuwaiti Foreign Minister earlier this month, PM Modi expressed optimism that India’s close cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council will be strengthened even further during Kuwait’s current GCC presidency.
As they discussed the situation in West Asia and voiced support for the region’s early return to peace, security, and stability, PM Modi commended Kuwait’s leadership for looking after the country’s one million-strong Indian community.
Later, EAM Jaishankar and Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya underlined their shared commitment to promoting regional and global peace and security.
“Following the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on the establishment of a joint committee for bilateral cooperation between the State of Kuwait and the Republic of India, which reflects the determination of the two friendly countries to push the level of bilateral relations to higher, broader and more comprehensive levels,” stated Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Source: IANS
