New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait, on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UNGA in New York on Monday. This marked the first meeting between the Prime Minister and the Crown Prince of Kuwait.
The Prime Minister conveyed that India attaches utmost importance to its bilateral relations with Kuwait. Both leaders reflected on the strong historical ties and people-to-people linkages between the two countries. They expressed satisfaction with the ongoing cooperation in energy and food security and affirmed their commitment to deepening and diversifying bilateral ties for mutual benefit.
Indo-Kuwaiti relations have a significant trade dimension, with India consistently ranking among Kuwait's top trading partners. Total bilateral trade for FY 2023-24 reached US$ 10.47 billion. Indian exports increased from US$ 1.56 billion in 2022-23 to US$ 2.1 billion in 2023-24, marking a 34.7% year-on-year growth. The top five export items included aircraft parts, cereals, organic chemicals, vehicles, and electric machinery.
During FY 2023-24, Kuwait emerged as the 9th largest oil supplier to India, fulfilling about 3.0% of the country's total energy needs. Indian public sector undertakings, such as TCIL, New India Assurance, LIC, and Oriental Insurance, maintain offices in Kuwait in collaboration with local sponsors, as per local regulations. Additionally, several Indian private sector companies—including Air India, L&T, Shapoorji Pallonji, Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd, TERI, WIPRO, Tata, and Ashok Leyland—have established local tie-ups in Kuwait.
The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to the Crown Prince for ensuring the well-being of the Indian community in Kuwait, which is the largest diaspora group in the country. With approximately 1 million Indians, they represent the largest expatriate community in Kuwait, both in terms of numbers and workforce participation. Labour and manpower issues are crucial in this relationship, with an existing Joint Working Group (JWG) on Labour, Employment, and Manpower Development that meets regularly. The 7th JWG meeting was held virtually in 2021.
