This came on the day that Kuwait awarded Modi its highest honour – The Order of Mubarak Al-Kabeer – for his diplomatic efforts to enhance the cooperation between the two nations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi being awarded ‘The Order of Mubarak Al-Kabeer’ by Kuwait’s Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Sunday. (PTI)
During the first ever bilateral meeting between PM Narendra Modi and Kuwait’s Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Sunday the two countries upgraded their relations to “strategic partners” for trade and defence.
This was on the day that Kuwait awarded India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi its highest honour ‘The Order of Mubarak Al-Kabeer’ for his efforts in enhancing the two countries relations.
Modi touched down in Kuwait on Saturday for a two-day visit — the first time an Indian prime minister has ventured there in 43 years. No Indian prime minister after Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India visited Kuwait in 1981 has visited the country so far. Modi was joined by S Jaishankar India’s External Affairs Minister and Ajit Doval, NSA.
In addition to the Amir, Modi also called on the Crown Prince, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, who hosted a banquet in Modi’s honour and had talks with Kuwaiti Prime Minister His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al Ahmad Al-Sabah in so far as delegation level talks are concerned.
The two sides have put in place defence cooperation framework that encompasses training, exchange of personnel and experts, joint drills and exercises, sale of defence commodities, joint research and development among others.
Other than defence, three more MoUs were signed to promote understanding in sport, culture and solar fields.
Kuwait is one of the most important trading partners with India
The gulf nation is India’s one of the significant trading partners with a total trade of USD 10.47 billion in the financial year 2023-24. Kuwait remains the sixth largest supplier of crude oil for India, ensuring 3 per cent of its total energy requirement. The largest expatriate community of people living in Kuwait is the Indian.
Indian exports to Kuwait touched USD 2 billion and Kuwait Investment Authority invests over USD 10 billion in India.
Arun Kumar Chatterjee, secretary (Overseas Indian Affairs) added that the visit will also enhance relations between India and the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which Kuwait led.
A significant step forward: India-Kuwait relations elevated to a ‘Strategic Partnership’!
PM @narendramodi met HH Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Amir of Kuwait at the Bayan Palace, Kuwait.
Discussions focused on exploring ways to take 🇮🇳-🇰🇼 bilateral ties to new… pic.twitter.com/SWgATT1Mj9— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) December 22, 2024
Read about: Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
In the meetings
“The Indian side also manifested lots of interest in expanding its cooperation with the GCC through Kuwait’s chairmanship of potent grouping with the members including United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar. In the Financial Year 2022-23, the cumulative value of trade between India and the GCC countries was amounted in US$ 184.46 billion. Both sides also insisted on the early realization of the FTA with India-GCC.
He said that at present India had started negotiating with the GCC to enter into a Free Trade Agreement. ‘It may be two different parties who have to work it out,’ he added”.
Read about: India-GCC relations
The MEA said Modi invited and has sought a delegation comprising the Kuwait Investment Authority and others, to come to India to explore new directions including in energy, defence, medicine devices, pharma, food parks and so on.
Modi also invited Kuwait’s Amir to visit India during his meeting with him as well. “I had a wonderful time during the meeting with His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah. Several priority areas of collaboration were covered during the meeting including pharmaceuticals, IT, FinTech, infrastructure and security, Modi added in a post on X.
“As our countries are connected through mutual relations, we have enhanced our cooperation to the strategic level and I think that our relations will only develop in the future,” he said.
Just as strategic partnership means more comprehensive involvement in the activities already determined – pharmaceuticals, IT, fintech, infrastructure, and security here – several new fields for cooperation will be sought. As for this, the parties will maintain and develop regular bilateral consultations, exchanges and visits concerning problems of interest.
Modi also extended gratitude to the Amir to protect the interests of the over one million Indians living in Kuwait the Kuwaiti leader on the same occasion also appreciated the efforts of the community towards Kuwait’s development process.
During their delegation level talks the two Prime Ministers identified an action plan to advance the bilateral relations in areas of trade, investment, energy, defence, security, health, education, technology, and people to people interaction, the MEA said.
During the meeting with the Crown Prince, Modi expressed the importance of bilateral relationship between India and Kuwait for the Indian government. “They stressed on the need for tight cooperation between two sides in the United Nations and in other international organizations,” the MEA said.
Kuwait Vision 2035 collaboration
The MEA said Modi thanked Kuwait for the new measures that are being taken for the realization of ‘Vision 2035’ and congratulated the Amir for successful hosting of the GCC summit in early December.
In response, the Amir agreed with Modi’s sentiments and thanked India for its continued partnership with Kuwait and the rest of the Gulf area, according to the MEA. It said the Kuwaiti leader wanted a higher level and input of India towards the achievement of Kuwait’s ‘Vision 2035’.
Modi also received honour of ‘The Order of Mubarak Al-Kabeer’ from the Amir at Bayan Palace. Modi was lauded for enhancing the friendly relations between the two countries, Kuwait state-own news agency KUNA highlighted.
Kuwait’s Emir, Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah presents a medal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bayan palace in Kuwait City, on December 22, 2024. | Photo Credit: AFP PHOTO/HO/KUNA
“It is my privilege to accept the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Order granted to me by His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah. They are worthy of this honour, and I am grateful for this recognition on behalf of the people of India and for our relationship between India and Kuwait,” Modi said post on X.
أجريت مناقشات مثمرة مع سمو الشيخ أحمد عبد الله الأحمد الصباح، رئيس وزراء الكويت. تناولت محادثاتنا كامل نطاق العلاقات بين الهند والكويت، بما في ذلك التجارة والعلاقات بين الشعبين والمزيد. كما تم تبادل مذكرات التفاهم والاتفاقيات المهمة، مما سيعزز العلاقات الثنائية. pic.twitter.com/7Wt1Cha7Hu— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 22, 2024
Modi’s visit comes at a time when West Asia is still threatening — both sides should have deliberated over it during the talks. While bidding farewell to West Asia on Saturday morning, Modi had acknowledged that ‘both sides have mutual interest in peace, security, stability and prosperity in this region’.
A joint statement issued at the end of the visit said: “Both sides thus reaffirmed their strong common condemn of terrorism in all its forms and acts, including cross-border terrorism and urged for disruption of sources of terrorist financing and terror safe havens, and bringing down of terror infrastructure.”
“The leaders noted that they were hopeful that this emerging partnership would intensify, bringing improvement to the two nations’ populace, as well as the promotion of regional and global harmony.
With inputs from agencies
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Manish Kumar pursued a master’s degree in journalism and mass communication from Amity University, Haryana. He is an enthusiastic and dedicated writer, who has worked with several ministries of the Government of India and contributed his voice to major campaigns and programmes. Being devoted to practicing significant journalism, Manish does his best to become a voice of change in society. Not only does he tell but also persuades, which is indicative of his strong conviction in the perspective of media.
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