Breaking a 43-Year Hiatus: PM Modi to Strengthen India-Kuwait Ties with Landmark Visit

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kuwait on 21-22 December 2024 at the invitation of Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. This will be the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Kuwait in 43 years. The Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday that PM Modi will hold discussions with Kuwaiti leaders during his two-day visit. The Prime Minister will also interact with the people of the Indian community in Kuwait.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India and Kuwait have traditionally enjoyed close and friendly relations, rooted in history and based on strong economic and people-to-people ties. India is one of Kuwait's top trading partners. 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.

Let us tell you that recently Kuwait's Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya came on a visit to India. During this, he met India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar. Kuwait's Foreign Minister was warmly welcomed by the Ministry of External Affairs. The Ministry of External Affairs had said that this visit will further strengthen the multifaceted relations between India and Kuwait.

According to media reports, Kuwait is the only country in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) that PM Modi has not visited yet. Kuwait is currently the chairman of the GCC. Apart from Kuwait, the GCC also includes the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar.

It is known that in September, PM Modi met Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UNGA in New York, which was the first meeting between the two leaders.