PM Narendra Modi will visit Kuwait on December 21-22 for what will be the first visit by an Indian prime minister to the Gulf country in 43 years. While Modi was also expected to visit Saudi Arabia this month, that visit is now expected to take place next year because of a delay in finalization of dates. A reliable supplier of crude and LPG to India and home to a million-strong Indian community, Kuwait is the only Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country Modi had not yet visited.
Kuwait currently holds the GCC presidency. Kuwait foreign minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya had visited India earlier this month and met Modi to deliver him an invitation to visit the country. Recalling his meeting with Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah in September in New York, Modi had expressed satisfaction at the growing momentum in bilateral relations, according to an Indian readout.
Modi discussed the situation in West Asia with the visiting foreign minister, expressing support for early return of peace, security and stability in the region. Kuwait had on December 1 hosted a summit of the 6-member GCC countries at which it had called for an immediate ceasefire and urged the international community to provide international protection for innocent civilians and to ensure "the opening of safe corridors and the arrival of urgent humanitarian aid." India too has repeatedly sought a ceasefire in Gaza and called for efforts to ensure that the conflict doesn’t spill over to other parts of West Asia.
Read morePrime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Kuwait on December 21-22, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Gulf nation in 43 years. This visit, at the invitation of Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, is expected to bolster the long-standing ties between India and Kuwait across various sectors, including trade, defense, and energy. Significance of the visit? Diplomatic milestone: Being the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Kuwait since Indira Gandhi's visit in 1981, MEA described the trip as "historic" and a step toward opening a new chapter in bilateral relations. Strengthening bilateral ties: PM Modi will hold meetings with key Kuwaiti leaders, including Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah, and the Kuwaiti Prime Minister. Delegation-level talks will address trade, investment, energy cooperation, culture, and people-to-people ties. Discussions on a bilateral investment treaty and a defense cooperation pact are also on the agenda. A few key bilateral agreements are expected to be signed during the visit. Indian diaspora engagement: PM Modi will interact with the Indian diaspora in Kuwait, the largest expatriate community in the Gulf nation. A grand cultural event, dubbed "Hala Modi," is being organised, with community members expressing excitement over the visit. Labour welfare emphasis: A visit to an Indian labor camp is also planned. This comes after over 45 Indians lost their lives in a devastating fire in Kuwait earlier this year. Participation in the Arabian Gulf Cup: PM Modi will attend the opening ceremony of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup football tournament as a special guest of the Kuwaiti Emir. Boosting GCC relations: Kuwait, currently chairing the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), plays a key role in India's engagement with the GCC. India and the GCC are negotiating a free trade agreement to further enhance trade relations, which stood at $184.46 billion in 2022-23.
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