Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi made an official 2-day visit to Kuwait from 21st December to 22nd December 2024 at the invitation of Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Amir of the State of Kuwait.
- This was the first visit by an Indian PM to the Gulf nation in over four decades.
- The objective of the visit was to review and boost collaborations in key areas such as trade, energy, investment, culture, and the deep-rooted people-to-people ties between the two nations.
Note:
i.Indira Gandhi was the last Indian PM to visit Kuwait 43 years ago in 1981.
ii.Former Vice President Hamid Ansari’s visit in 2009 was the last high-level engagement from India to the Gulf nation.
iii.Kuwait remains a reliable energy partner, ranking as India’s 6th largest supplier of crude oil and 4th largest of LPG.
India, Kuwait sign four MoUs to strengthen cultural, defence cooperation:
India and Kuwait signed four Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) in the areas of defence, sports and cultural cooperation. The MoUs are as follows –
| Sr. No. | MoU/Agreement | Objective |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MoU between India and Kuwait on Cooperation in the field of Defence | To promote bilateral cooperation in defence in areas including training, exchange of personnel and experts, joint exercises, defense industry cooperation, supply of equipment, and Research and Development (R&D). |
| 2 | Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) between India and Kuwait (2025-2029) | To promote cultural exchanges in art, music, dance, literature, theatre, conserve cultural heritage, R&D in culture, and organization of festivals. |
| 3 | Executive Programme (EP) for Cooperation in the Field of Sports (2025-2028) | To enhance exchange of sports leaders, participation in programs, and exchange of knowledge and skills in sports medicine, management, media, and science. |
| 4 | Kuwait’s membership of International Solar Alliance (ISA) | To adopt solar energy and addressing common challenges to promote usage of solar energy, develop low-carbon growth economies. |
PM Modi gets Kuwait’s highest honour ‘The Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer’:
PM Modi was awarded the Wisam Mubarak al-Kabeer, or the Order of Mubarak the Great, by Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on 22nd December 2024. This is the highest national award of Kuwait.
- It is the 20th international award bestowed upon him by a country.
PM attended Arabian Gulf Cup as Guest of Honour of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait
PM Modi attended the opening ceremony of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup in Kuwait on 21st December 2024 which was organized by Kuwait with participation from eight countries, including Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, Iraq, and Yemen.
PM Modi addressed Indian Community at ‘Hala Modi’ event in Kuwait:
PM Modi addressed and appreciated a large gathering of the Indian community in Kuwait in a special event ‘Hala Modi’ at the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Indoor Sports Complex in Kuwait for their contribution to the development of Kuwait.
PM visits Labour Camp in Kuwait:
PM Modi visited a labour camp in Mina Abdullah area of Kuwait with a workforce of around 1500 Indian nationals wherein he interacted with Indian workers from different States of India and enquired about their well-being.
About Kuwait:
Prime Minister– Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah
Crown Prince– Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah
Currency– Kuwaiti Dinar
