PM’S VISIT TO KUWAIT
Dates of Visit: December 21-22, 2024
Prime Minister of India: Shri Narendra Modi
Host: His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
Purpose of the Visit
The visit aimed to deepen India-Kuwait bilateral relations, establish a Strategic Partnership, and enhance cooperation across several domains, including trade, defense, energy, culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
1. Warm Reception and High-Level Engagement
- Official Welcome: PM Modi was received by His Highness the Amir of Kuwait and Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah at the Bayan Palace on December 22, 2024.
- Diplomatic Significance: This visit marked the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Kuwait in 43 years.
- Although India and Kuwait share close ties in areas such as energy and trade, the last prime ministerial visit from India was 43 years ago.
- Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visited Kuwait in 1981, and vice president Hamid Ansari travelled to the country in 2009.
- Symbol of Friendship: PM Modi was honored with Kuwait’s highest civilian award, The Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer, a reflection of the close and friendly ties between the two nations.
2. Strategic Partnership
- Establishment of Strategic Partnership: The visit culminated in the establishment of a Strategic Partnership between India and Kuwait, expanding cooperation from traditional bilateral ties to more structured collaboration.
- Focus Areas: The partnership includes cooperation in politics, trade, defense, security, energy, culture, education, and technology, aiming for mutual benefits and stronger bilateral engagement.
3. Bilateral Cooperation and Institutional Mechanisms
- Joint Commission on Cooperation (JCC): An institutional mechanism to review and monitor bilateral relations, co-chaired by the Foreign Ministers of both nations.
- Joint Working Groups (JWGs): Several new JWGs were set up to focus on areas like trade, investment, education, security, counter-terrorism, and culture, complementing existing JWGs in health, hydrocarbons, and manpower.
4. Trade, Investment, and Economic Relations
- Trade Growth: Both sides agreed to expand and diversify trade by enhancing business delegations and institutional linkages.
- India is one of Kuwait’s top trading partners, with two-way trade reaching $10.47 billion in 2023-24.
- Indian exports increased from $1.56 billion in 2022-23 to $2.1 billion in 2023-24, showing a year-on-year growth of 34.7%.
- Investment: Kuwait showed interest in investing in India in sectors like technology, tourism, healthcare, food security, and logistics. Negotiations for a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) were fast-tracked to facilitate investment.
- Energy Cooperation: The two countries agreed to move beyond the traditional buyer-seller relationship in energy and collaborate on oil exploration, refining, petrochemicals, and renewable energy.
- Kuwait is also India’s 6th largest crude supplier, meeting 3% of the country’s energy needs, while investments by the Kuwait investment authority in India exceed $10 billion.
- Kuwait expressed interest in India’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve Programme.
STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVES IN INDIA
5. Defense and Security Cooperation
- Defense Cooperation MoU: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed to strengthen defense ties, including:
- Joint military exercises
- Training of defense personnel
- Coastal defense and maritime security
- Joint defense equipment development
- Counter-Terrorism: Both countries emphasized intelligence sharing, cybersecurity cooperation, and tackling terrorist financing.
6. Health and Pharmaceutical Cooperation
- Pharmaceutical Industry Collaboration: PM Modi discussed the possibility of setting up Indian pharmaceutical manufacturing plants in Kuwait, and increasing cooperation in medical product regulation and supply chains.
- Health Initiatives: Both sides agreed to strengthen health cooperation, particularly after their joint success in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.
7. Cultural, Educational, and People-to-People Ties
- Cultural Exchange Programme (2025-2029): This programme will promote cultural exchanges in arts, literature, music, and festivals.
- Sports Cooperation: An Executive Programme on Sports Cooperation (2025-2028) was signed to organize sports exchanges and workshops.
- Educational Ties: Both sides agreed to foster cooperation in higher education and technology, including institutional exchanges and promoting educational technology.
- A special diplomat course for Kuwaiti diplomats in India was also discussed.
- Indian Diaspora: PM Modi acknowledged the contributions of the Indian community in Kuwait and appreciated the Kuwaiti leadership for ensuring their welfare.
8. Food Security and Agricultural Cooperation
- Food Security: Kuwait expressed interest in enhancing its food security by collaborating with India, focusing on areas such as food parks and agriculture.
- Agricultural Initiatives: The two sides discussed cooperation in agriculture, including leveraging India’s expertise to address Kuwait’s food security challenges.
9. Regional and Global Cooperation
- India-GCC Relations: India and Kuwait emphasized the growing relationship with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a bloc that includes UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait. The two countries stressed the importance of an India-GCC Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
- Trade between India and the GCC, which includes the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait, was valued at $184.46 billion in 2022-23.
- UN Reforms: Both leaders discussed the reform of the United Nations, particularly the expansion of the Security Council to make it more representative and effective in addressing global issues.
ABOUT GCC
The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a regional, intergovernmental, political, and economic grouping comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
The council’s main headquarters is located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The Charter of the GCC was signed on 25 May 1981, formally establishing the institution.
KEY DOCUMENTS SIGNED
- MoU on Defense Cooperation: Aimed at strengthening defense ties.
- Cultural Exchange Programme (2025-2029): To promote cultural diplomacy.
- Executive Programme on Sports Cooperation (2025-2028): To bolster ties through sports exchanges.
- Kuwait’s Membership in the International Solar Alliance (ISA): Reflecting a growing interest in renewable energy
Future Engagements and Invitations
- PM Modi’s Invitation: PM Modi invited the Amir, Crown Prince, and Prime Minister of Kuwait to visit India, marking the continuation of the strong momentum in bilateral ties.
THE ORDER OF MUBARAK-AL-KABEER
- His Highness Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Amir of Kuwait conferred upon Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi The Order of Mubarak Al- Kabeer, the highest national award of Kuwait.
- His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the Prime Minister of Kuwait also graced the occasion.
- Prime Minister dedicated the award to the long-standing friendship between India and Kuwait, to the Indian community in Kuwait and to the 1.4 billion people of India.
- The conferment of the award on this historic visit of a Prime Minister of India to Kuwait after 43 years added a special meaning to the occasion.
- The award was instituted in 1974 and has since been conferred on select global leaders.
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