Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kuwait on 21 December 2024 on the invitation of Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Amir of Kuwait. This is the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Kuwait in 43 years.
The Ministry of External Affairs informed that on the first day of the visit, he visited a labour camp in Mina Abdullah area of Kuwait, addressed the Indian diaspora and also attended the opening ceremony of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup in Kuwait as his ‘Guest of Honour’. Prior to his departure, Modi expressed that he was looking forward to the meetings with the Amir, the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister of Kuwait. It would be an opportunity to chalk out a roadmap for a futuristic partnership for the benefit of our people and the region, he stated.
As the first program of his visit to Kuwait, the Prime Minister Modi visited a labour camp with a workforce of around 1500 Indian nationals where he interacted with a cross-section of Indian workers from different States of India and enquired about their well-being.
He also addressed a large gathering of the Indian community in Kuwait in a special event ‘Hala Modi’ at the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Indoor Sports Complex in the city where he noted that the India-Kuwait relationship has been profoundly enriched by the Indian community, which plays a pivotal role in fostering the ties between the two nations. Reflecting on India’s strong commitment to support Indian workers in Kuwait and elsewhere in the Gulf, he talked about technology-based initiatives undertaken by the Government such as E-Migrate portal among others.
Gratitude to the Indian community for the community programme in Kuwait. Here are some glimpses. pic.twitter.com/PIrI79FDBT
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 21, 2024
Modi outlined India’s approach as a “Vishwabandhu”, a friend to the world. He highlighted that huge opportunities for India and Kuwait to work together and stated that India’s skill capacities and innovation could foster new partnerships between the two countries.
Later, Prime Minister Modi witnessed the grand opening ceremony that also provided an opportunity for an informal interaction of the Prime Minister with the leadership of Kuwait.
The biennial Arabian Gulf Cup is one of the most prominent sporting events in the region, with participation from eight countries, including GCC nations, Iraq, and Yemen. Kuwait has won the tournament maximum times among the participating countries.
