India and Kuwait strengthen historic ties, discuss trade and cooperation
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India and Kuwait continue to strengthen their "historic and deep" bilateral ties, as highlighted during the official visit of India’s Minister of External Affairs, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, to Kuwait. According to the foreign ministers of India and Kuwait, the visit aimed to reinforce cooperation on several pressing issues, including trade, investment and food security.
During discussions with Kuwait’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Al-Yahya, the two sides exchanged views on mutual interests, including United Nations Security Council reforms. Both ministers emphasized their nations' shared concerns and common viewpoints on this global issue. Additionally, Minister Jaishankar noted that remittances from over a million Indians working in Kuwait amount to nearly USD 1 billion annually, while Kuwaiti investments in India have shown significant growth.
Bilateral trade between the two nations fluctuates between USD 10 to 15 billion, with a free trade agreement in development to further expand collaboration across various sectors. Minister Jaishankar emphasized the importance of the Gulf region, which meets around 30 percent of India's oil needs and hosts a quarter of India’s global diaspora. The visit also laid the groundwork for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Kuwait and was described as successful, signalling fruitful future cooperation between the two countries.