NEW DELHI: India and Kuwait on Sunday decided to elevate their bilateral relationship to a ‘strategic partnership’, under which both countries will explore ways to enhance cooperation in several sectors including education, information technology, pharmaceuticals, fintech, infrastructure, and security.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in the Gulf nation on Saturday for a two-day visit, held extensive talks with Kuwait’s top leaders, including Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and signed a number of pacts.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence will provide for cooperation in the areas of defence industries, supply of defence equipment, training, exchange of experts and joint exercises, and collaboration in research and development. The other MoUs cover sports, culture, and solar energy, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Modi’s meeting with the Emir was at the iconic Bayan Palace. During the interaction, Modi invited the Emir to visit India. Modi also expressed his gratitude to the Emir for ensuring the wellbeing of over one million Indians in Kuwait. The Kuwaiti leader, in turn, acknowledged the vital contributions of the Indian community to Kuwait’s development.
The PM said the talks covered ways to deepen economic and cultural linkages between India and Kuwait, adding: “We are optimistic about the India-Kuwait Strategic Partnership scaling new heights of success in the times to come.”
Modi also held wide-ranging talks with Crown Prince Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah and Kuwaiti Prime Minister Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.
In their delegation-level talks, the two prime ministers discussed a roadmap to strengthen the partnership in diverse areas including trade, investment, energy, defence, security, health, education, technology and people-to-people ties, the MEA said.
Modi is the first Indian prime minister to visit Kuwait in 43 years after Indira Gandhi visited the country in 1981.