For the first time in over 40 years, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kuwait for two days starting on Saturday.
Forty-three years have passed since the last Indian prime leader visited Kuwait. In 1981, the late former prime minister Indira Gandhi traveled to Kuwait, and in 2009, vice president Hamid Ansari did the same.
The top leadership of Kuwait will meet with Prime Minister Modi during his two-day visit.
By invitation of Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Amir, Modi is in Kuwait. In addition to the Amir, he will speak with the prime minister and the Crown Prince of Kuwait. Reviewing ties in areas including trade, investment, energy, culture, and people-to-people contacts will be possible during these discussions.
Along with attending the opening ceremony of the Gulf Cup football tournament, he will also speak at an Indian community event and tour a labor camp that houses Indian blue-collar workers.
“I’m going to Kuwait today and tomorrow. India’s longstanding ties to Kuwait would be strengthened by this visit. Before departing for Kuwait, Modi said on X, “I am excited to meet His Highness the Amir, the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister of Kuwait.” “I will be attending the Arabian Gulf Cup inauguration ceremony and engaging with the Indian community this evening.”
According to news agency ANI, preparations were in progress for Modi’s “Hala Modi” community event, which will take place in Kuwait’s Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah Sports Complex.
Modi’s visit to Kuwait is anticipated to “open a new chapter” in India-Kuwait relations, according to the ministry of external affairs, one day before the prime minister’s departure.
At a media briefing, Arun Kumar Chatterjee, the ministry’s secretary for overseas Indian affairs, stated, “It will not only consolidate the partnership in existing spheres but also uncover new avenues for future cooperation, reinforce our shared values, and build a more stronger and dynamic partnership for the future.”
He stated that talks for a bilateral investment pact and a defense cooperation deal were in progress with Kuwait.
Additionally, according to Chatterjee, the visit is anticipated to strengthen ties between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which is presently led by Kuwait.
The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait make form the powerful GCC. In the fiscal year 2022–2023, India’s overall trade volume with the GCC was USD 184.46 billion.
India-Kuwait relations
One of Kuwait’s main trading partners is India, with $10.47 billion in two-way trade in 2023–2024. Indian exports grew by 34.7% year over year, from $1.56 billion in 2022–2023 to $2.1 billion in 2023–2024.
The Kuwait Investment Authority has invested more than $10 billion in India, and Kuwait is the sixth-largest supplier of crude oil, providing 3% of India’s energy needs. The largest expatriate group in Kuwait consists of one million Indians.
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