NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will journey to Kuwait on December 21-22 to bolster bilateral ties and vitality cooperation, marking the primary go to by an Indian premier to the West Asian nation in 43 years.
Modi, who’s visiting on the invitation of the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, will maintain talks with the nation’s management and work together with the Indian neighborhood, the exterior affairs ministry stated on Wednesday.
“The go to will present a chance to additional strengthen the multifaceted ties between India and Kuwait,” the ministry stated.
Late former prime minister Indira Gandhi visited Kuwait in 1981, whereas the then vp Hamid Ansari travelled to the nation in 2009. The final high-level go to from both aspect was that of the Kuwaiti prime minister to India in 2013. Modi and Kuwait’s crown prince met on the sidelines of the UN Common Meeting in September.
India and Kuwait share shut ties rooted in historical past and underpinned by financial and powerful people-to-people linkages. India is amongst Kuwait’s high buying and selling companions and bilateral commerce was value $10.47 billion throughout 2023-24. Indian exports have elevated from $1.56 billion in 2022-23 to $2.1 billion in 2023-24, with year-on-year progress of 34.7%.
Kuwait is India’s sixth largest crude provider, assembly 3% of the nation’s vitality wants, whereas investments by the Kuwait Funding Authority in India exceed $10 billion.
Indians are Kuwait’s largest expatriate neighborhood of about a million and the 2 sides have benefited from mutual assist in difficult occasions. The Indian rupee was authorized tender in Kuwait till 1961, symbolising the enduring financial ties.
Exterior affairs minister S Jaishankar visited Kuwait in August, whereas Kuwait’s international minister, Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, travelled to India earlier this month.
India and Kuwait institutionalised their cooperation by the Joint Fee for Cooperation (JCC), which was established throughout the Kuwaiti international minister’s go to to New Delhi in December. The 2 sides additionally arrange seven new joint working teams (JWGs) within the areas of commerce, funding, training, know-how, agriculture, safety and tradition. These complement three current JWGs in hydrocarbons, well being and consular issues.