Close X
Monday, March 10, 2025
ADVT 
India

PM Modi set to undertake historic Kuwait visit this week, first by Indian Prime Minister in 43 years

Darpan News Desk IANS, 18 Dec, 2024 01:06 PM
  • PM Modi set to undertake historic Kuwait visit this week, first by Indian Prime Minister in 43 years

New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a two-day visit to Kuwait starting December 21 in what would be the first visit by an Indian PM to the key West Asian country in 43 years.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will hold discussions with the leadership of Kuwait - including Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Amir of the State of Kuwait - the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday.

During the two-day visit he is also scheduled to interact with the Indian community in Kuwait.

"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," read a statement issued by the MEA.

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.

Kuwait currently holds the current presidency of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - also comprising the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar - and the only GCC member country that PM Modi has not visited so far since assuming office in 2014. A proposed visit in 2022 was postponed due to the Covid pandemic.

In September, PM Modi had met with Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait, on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UNGA in New York in what was the first meeting between the two leaders.

Recalling the strong historical ties and people-to-people linkages between the two countries during the meeting, ​Prime Minister Modi had conveyed that India attaches "utmost importance" to its bilateral relations with Kuwait.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) later said that the meeting between the leadership of the two countries is expected to impart a "fresh momentum" to bilateral ties 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 discussions with the visiting Kuwait Foreign Minister earlier this month, PM Modi had once again expressed confidence that the close cooperation between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council would be further strengthened under Kuwait’s ongoing Presidency of the GCC.

As they exchanged views on the situation in West Asia and expressed support for early return of peace, security and stability in the region, PM Modi thanked the leadership of Kuwait for taking care of the one million strong Indian community living in Kuwait.

Later, EAM Jaishankar and Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya had reaffirmed their joint commitment to enhancing stability and security in the region and the world.

"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.

 

MORE India ARTICLES

Net worth of Central PSEs shot up by 82 pc in 9 years: Hardeep Puri

Net worth of Central PSEs shot up by 82 pc in 9 years: Hardeep Puri
Sharing key statistics to illustrate the remarkable performance, the minister said that the net worth of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) has increased by 82 per cent, from Rs 9.5 lakh crore in FY14 to Rs 17.33 lakh crore in FY23.

Net worth of Central PSEs shot up by 82 pc in 9 years: Hardeep Puri

Over 40 crore gold jewellery items hallmarked to date, 4 lakh per day: Centre

Over 40 crore gold jewellery items hallmarked to date, 4 lakh per  day: Centre
The government on Thursday informed that more than 40 crore gold jewellery items have been hallmarked to date -- over 4 lakh gold items being hallmarked per day. In the fourth phase, kicked off by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) from November 5, hallmarking centres have been set up at 18 additional districts under mandatory hallmarking.

Over 40 crore gold jewellery items hallmarked to date, 4 lakh per day: Centre

Ceiling of operation theatre at RG Kar collapses, no casualties

Ceiling of operation theatre at RG Kar collapses, no casualties
Tension broke out at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata after the ceiling of an operation theatre within the hospital premises collapsed on Thursday. Fortunately, there was no casualty or injury since the operation theatre concerned was inoperative when the ceiling collapse took place and no one was there within the room.

Ceiling of operation theatre at RG Kar collapses, no casualties

Akali Dal protests move to allocate land in Chandigarh to Haryana for new Assembly

Akali Dal protests move to allocate land in Chandigarh to Haryana for new Assembly
Punjab's opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday said any decision to allocate land to Haryana in Chandigarh would be unconstitutional as it would violate Article 3 of the Constitution, whereby the Parliament alone could change state boundaries. Akali Dal leader Daljit Singh Cheema, while urging Union Home Minister Amit Shah to rescind the decision, said it was in violation of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966.

Akali Dal protests move to allocate land in Chandigarh to Haryana for new Assembly

Punjab Police dismantle two criminal gangs, including UK-based extortion syndicate

Punjab Police dismantle two criminal gangs, including UK-based extortion syndicate
Punjab Police on Thursday claimed to have dismantled two criminal gangs, including a UK-based extortion syndicate and arrested 10 hardcore criminals after recovering seven pistols along with 18 cartridges and 10 magazines from their possession, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said here on Thursday.

Punjab Police dismantle two criminal gangs, including UK-based extortion syndicate

Assam Police on high alert after violence in Manipur’s Jiribam

Assam Police on high alert after violence in Manipur’s Jiribam
The Assam Police in Cachar district is on high alert after the escalating violence in the adjoining Jiribam district of Manipur. Cachar District Superintendent of Assam Police Numal Mahatta said that in the wake of the unrest triggered by violent incidents in Manipur's Jiribam district, round-the-clock patrolling is being conducted along the Assam-Manipur inter-state borders along the Cachar District.

Assam Police on high alert after violence in Manipur’s Jiribam