KUWAIT: At a press conference, Arun Kumar Chatterjee, Secretary of Consular, Passport and Visa Division & Overseas Indian Affairs at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, said this historic visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will open a new chapter in the relationship between India and Kuwait, where both sides have identified several significant areas of cooperation, and the respective governments will work towards fulfilling the plans discussed during this visit.

He said that the two sides discussed cooperation between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), with Kuwait now serving as the chair. “In September, India and the GCC held a strategic dialogue led by the minister of external affairs. The prime minister congratulated Kuwait on assuming the GCC chairmanship and expressed optimism for strengthened collaboration between India and the GCC under Kuwait’s leadership.”

Chatterjee said four bilateral agreements were signed, saying that the defense agreement will institutionalize bilateral collaboration in defense. Key areas of cooperation include training, exchange of personnel and experts, joint exercises, cooperation in the defense industry, supply of defense equipment and collaboration in research and development.

“Additionally, one of the MOUs was on a cultural exchange program from 2025- 2029 that aims to foster greater collaboration in art, music, dance, literature and theater; preserve cultural heritage; promote research and development in cultural areas; and organize festivals. The executive program for sports cooperation will strengthen bilateral ties by encouraging the exchange of sports leaders for experience sharing, and collaboration in sports medicine, management, media and science,” he added.

Chatterjee stressed Kuwait’s membership in the International Solar Alliance will address the deployment and scaling of solar energy while tackling shared challenges, pointing out that this collaboration will help member states transition to low-carbon growth trajectories. He said that during his visit, Modi also visited a labor camp in Mina Abdullah of a company that employs approximately 1,500 Indian workers, interacting with the workers and highlighting his government’s commitment to the welfare of Indian citizens abroad.

Regarding the health and education sectors, Chatterjee said the prime minister expressed gratitude to Kuwait’s leadership for supporting the Indian diaspora, which is approximately one million strong today, and the Kuwaiti side also recognized the critical role the Indian community plays in Kuwait’s development.

“Pharmaceuticals is a crucial area of focus. Both sides have identified health and pharmaceuticals as key sectors for cooperation. This could involve investments from Kuwait in India or an expansion of the trade basket to boost pharmaceutical exports from India,” he added. He revealed that to address sector-specific issues, separate working groups have been established, where leaders of both countries agreed that these groups would meet frequently to explore new areas of cooperation.

“On manpower issues, a joint working group focuses on resolving key challenges faced by Indian workers in Kuwait. These efforts reflect the shared commitment to improving the welfare of the Indian community,” Chatterjee concluded.