KUWAIT CITY, Dec 17: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to make a historic official visit to Kuwait on Saturday, Dec 21. This marks the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Kuwait in over 40 years. During his visit, the Indian premier is expected to engage in high-level talks with the Kuwaiti leadership to strengthen and expand the long-standing and friendly relations between the two nations further. Earlier this month, Kuwait’s Foreign Minister, Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, visited New Delhi, where he met with Prime Minister Modi and extended an official invitation for the Indian leader to visit Kuwait.

In recent years, the Indian government has placed a greater emphasis on its relations with the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, and the timing of this visit is especially significant as Kuwait currently holds the presidency of the GCC. In September, Modi met with His Highness the Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The two leaders expressed their satisfaction with the growing momentum in bilateral relations and discussed the prevailing security situation in the Middle East. They both called for the swift restoration of peace and stability in the region and highlighted the importance of providing immediate humanitarian assistance to those affected by the ongoing crises. This visit by Prime Minister Modi is expected further to cement the strong ties between India and Kuwait and contribute to deepening cooperation across various sectors

Meanwhile, the Indian Ambassador to Kuwait HE Dr Adarsh Swaika briefed the local media on the recent visit of Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya to India on Dec 3-4, 2024 at the invitation of India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. A significant outcome of the Al- Yahya’s visit to India, he said, was the signing of a joint commission for cooperation between the two countries, marking a vital development in their diplomatic relationship, he said. Under the new framework, he added, seven joint working groups will be established in areas where institutional mechanisms did not previously exist. These new working groups will focus on trade, investments, education and skill development, defense and security, consular issues, culture, and science and technology.

Before this, there were only four institutional mechanisms in place -- political consultations between assistant foreign ministers, cooperation in the oil sector, medical cooperation, and labor relations. With the addition of these seven new working groups, the relationship between the two countries will have a much more robust and structured framework for cooperation. The new mechanism, Dr Swaika added, will elevate cooperation to the level of Foreign Ministers and serve as an umbrella body to coordinate all aspects of bilateral relations.