KUWAIT: According to Indian media reports, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kuwait on Saturday, marking the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Kuwait in 43 years. The visit comes in response to an invitation extended by Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya during his recent trip to India, where he met with Modi. Kuwait, a key supplier of crude oil and LPG to India, is home to a vibrant Indian community of over a million people. Notably, it remains the only GCC country yet to be visited by Modi.

Speaking to the media, Indian Ambassador to Kuwait Dr Adarsh Swaika highlighted the significance of the upcoming visit, noting its momentum follows the Kuwaiti foreign minister’s two-day trip to India on Dec 3-4 and the visit of his Indian counterpart to Kuwait in August. “This visit builds on the strong diplomatic engagements in recent months, including His Highness the Kuwaiti Crown Prince’s meeting with Prime Minister Modi in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September,” he said.

The ambassador emphasized that the flurry of high-level exchanges reflects the growing dynamism of bilateral relations. “Prior to this, the last major interactions were in 2021 when the Kuwaiti foreign minister visited India in March, followed by the Indian external affairs minister’s visit to Kuwait in June to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations,” Swaika added. A key outcome of the recent diplomatic activities was the signing of the Joint Commission for Cooperation, elevating coordination to the foreign minister level. This framework will facilitate collaboration across various sectors by introducing seven new joint working groups.

“Previously, we had four institutional mechanisms: Political consultations, oil sector cooperation, medical cooperation and labor-related matters. Now, we have added seven new working groups to focus on trade, investments, education and skill development, defense and security, consular issues, culture and science and technology,” Swaika revealed.

The ambassador described the visit as “highly productive” concluding with substantive discussions between the Kuwaiti foreign minister and Prime Minister Modi. “Overall, this visit has paved the way for stronger and deeper ties between our two countries,” he affirmed.