New Delhi [India], December 20 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a visit to Kuwait on 21-22 December 2024, at the invitation of the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, where he will interact with the Indian diaspora at the community event and also visit a labour camp and also attend the opening ceremony of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup as a special guest of the Emir of Kuwait.

Adressing the Special Briefing on the Prime Minister's visit to Kuwait, Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (CPV and OIA), Arun Kumar Chatterjee gave a brief context on PM Modi's visit and highlighted the strong relationship between both nations, stating "excellent political relations between the two countries."

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"This marks the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Kuwait in 43 years and therefore assumes considerable significance," he said.

"PM Modi will be accorded a ceremonial guard of honor at the Bayan Palace (Kuwait Emir's main palace), following which he will be holding separate meetings with the Emir of Kuwait and the crown prince of Kuwait Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah. There will be delegation-level talks with the prime minister of Kuwait thereafter," he added.

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During these bilateral discussions, PM Modi will review with the leadership of Kuwait, the entire spectrum of our bilateral relations, including an area such as the political, trade, investment, energy, culture, and people-to-people ties, and the steps that both sides need to take to further enhance them. The Crown Prince will be hosting a banquet in honor of the honourable prime minister.

This historic visit by the prime minister is expected to open a new chapter in India and create bilateral relations. It will not only consolidate the partnership in existing spheres but also unveil new avenues for future cooperation, reinforce our shared values and build a stronger and more dynamic partnership for the future. It is also expected to boost the ties between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Highlighting PM Modi's visit to a labour camp in Kuwait, Chatterjee stated, "The government of India attaches considerable importance to the welfare of all workers which are abroad. We have a community of around one million in Kuwait...The idea of the visit to the Labour camp is to express the amount of importance the government of India attaches to our workers who are working in a foreign country..."

Notably, India and Kuwait share an age-old bond characterised by historical ties, robust economic exchanges, and vibrant cultural connections. There is excellent political relations between the two countries. PM Modi recently met the Crown Prince of Kuwait on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session in September this year.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Kuwait this year in August. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait, Abdullah Ali Al Hayya, visited India recently on December 3-4. Both the foreign ministers had earlier met in September this year on the sidelines of the inaugural India Gulf Cooperation Council Strategic Dialogue in Riyadh.

"These recent high-level engagements have been very successful and other ministerial-level exchanges have infused a fresh momentum into the bilateral relations between India and Kuwait," the MEA secretary stated.

To further strengthen the institutional mechanism of cooperation, an MOU to establish a Joint Commission was signed during the recent visit of the Foreign Minister of Kuwait to India in December this year. The Commission will be headed by the Foreign Ministers of both the countries. New joint working groups in the areas of trade, investment, education, technology, agriculture, security and culture will be set up under the Commission.

"India ranks among Kuwait's top trading partners with bilateral trade between the two countries at more than US dollars 10 billion during the year 2023-24," MEA said during the special briefing.

"Kuwait also remains a reliable energy partner for India, both in terms of supply of crude oil and LPG. There are investments also from Kuwait in India. Kuwait is thus one of India's key partners in the Gulf region today," he added. (ANI)

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