New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will go on a historic visit to Kuwait on 21-22 December. This will be the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister in 43 years. This visit of PM Modi is taking place on the invitation of Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
PM Modi will talk to the Indian community and Kuwait leadership
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will talk to the people of the Indian community and the top leadership there during his visit to Kuwait. More than 10 lakh expatriate Indians live in Kuwait. The Indian community has the biggest contribution in the country’s economy. By the way, PM Modi will also talk about their rights.
Kuwait’s Foreign Minister came to India
After that, Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya visited New Delhi in the first week of December itself. Through this visit, an attempt is made to send a message that how serious India is about its relations with this country which has immense reserves of energy resources.
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 enjoy traditionally close and friendly relations, rooted in history and based on 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 multi-dimensional relations between India and Kuwait.
Let us tell you that recently Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya had visited India. During this, he met India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar. The Foreign Minister of Kuwait was warmly welcomed by the Ministry of External Affairs. The Ministry of External Affairs had said that this visit will further strengthen the multidimensional relations between India and Kuwait. According to media reports, Kuwait is the only country in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) where PM Modi has not visited yet. Kuwait is currently the chair of the GCC. Apart from Kuwait, GCC also includes United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar. It may be noted that in September, PM Modi had met Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait, on the occasion of the 79th session of the UNGA in New York, which was the first meeting between the two leaders.
Why is PM Modi’s visit special?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kuwait is being considered very special. Kuwait is a key member of the Gulf Cooperation Council and currently also chairs the GCC. In this way, India’s relations with GCC member countries will improve. Also, Kuwait is the major supplier of crude oil and LPG to India.
Indira Gandhi visited Kuwait 43 years ago
43 years ago in 1981, former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi visited Kuwait. However, in 2009, former Vice President Hamid Ansari also visited.
