PM Modi Holds Talks With Top Kuwaiti Leadership

PM Modi arrived in Kuwait on Saturday on a two-day trip, the first to this Gulf nation by an Indian PM in 43 years.

Kuwait City:Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held extensive talks with Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah with a focus on imparting new momentum to India-Kuwait relations, especially in areas of trade, investment and energy.

Modi arrived here on Saturday on a two-day trip, the first to this Gulf nation by an Indian prime minister in the last 43 years. The prime minister is also meeting Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah.

The talks are set to focus on shoring up ties in a range of key areas including defence and trade, officials said earlier. On Saturday, Modi addressed an Indian community event and visited an Indian labour camp.

The last Indian prime minister to visit Kuwait was Indira Gandhi in 1981. India is among the top trading partners of Kuwait. The Indian community is the largest expatriate community in Kuwait.

The Gulf nation is among India's top trading partners, with bilateral trade valued at USD 10.47 billion in the financial year 2023-24. Kuwait is India's sixth largest crude supplier, meeting 3 per cent of the country's energy needs.

Indian exports to Kuwait reached USD 2 billion for the first time, while investments by the Kuwait Investment Authority in India exceeded USD 10 billion.