PM Modi Embarks On Two-Day Visit To Kuwait, First By An Indian PM In 43 Years

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to pay a two-day visit to Kuwait on Saturday. This will be the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Middle Eastern country since 1981. The journey follows a similar one by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, four decades ago, and last high-level Indian engagement in the form of former Vice President Hamid Ansari in 2009.

The PM will engage in high-level talks with the Kuwaiti leadership, including the Crown Prince and Prime Minister at the invitation of the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The talks will intend to further strengthen the bilateral ties across crucial sectors of trade, energy, investments, and cultural exchange along with a focus on time-honored ties between Indian and Kuwaiti people.

The Ministry of External Affairs has expressed optimism regarding this visit, which may further help invigorate India-Kuwait relations and work out new avenues of cooperation.

Among other key engagements, PM Modi will also visit a labour camp and meet Indian blue-collar workers, who happen to constitute the largest expatriate community in Kuwait, crossing one million in number. Additionally, he will attend the ‘Hala Modi’ cultural celebration and participate in the Gulf Cup football tournament’s opening ceremony.

Strategic partnerships are also in focus, with discussions on a bilateral investment treaty and defence cooperation agreement. As Kuwait currently chairs the Gulf Cooperation Council, this visit is pivotal in strengthening India’s ties with the influential bloc.

Kuwait plays a critical role in India’s energy and economic landscape, supplying 3% of India’s crude oil needs. Bilateral trade reached $10.47 billion in 2023-24, with Kuwait’s sovereign wealth fund investing over $10 billion in India.

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