PM Modi meets Crown Prince of Kuwait at UN

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of Kuwait, during the 79th UNGA session in New York on Monday. This was their first meeting.

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance India places on its relationship with Kuwait. Both leaders highlighted the strong historical ties and people-to-people connections between the two countries.

They expressed satisfaction with their cooperation on energy and food security. Both committed to deepening and diversifying bilateral relations for mutual benefit.

Trade has always been a key element of Indo-Kuwaiti relations. India is one of Kuwait’s top trading partners, with bilateral trade reaching $10.47 billion in FY 2023-24.

Indian exports rose from $1.56 billion in 2022-23 to $2.1 billion in 2023-24, showing a 34.7% year-on-year growth. Top exports include aircraft parts, cereals, organic chemicals, vehicles, and electric machinery. 

Kuwait was India’s 9th largest oil supplier in FY 2023-24, meeting 3% of India’s energy needs. Indian public sector companies like TCIL, New India Assurance, and LIC operate in Kuwait, as do private firms such as Air India, L&T, and Tata.

The Prime Minister thanked the Crown Prince for supporting the Indian community in Kuwait, which is the largest expatriate group, numbering about 1 million. 

Labour and manpower issues are a key part of their relations, with a Joint Working Group (JWG) regularly addressing these matters. The 7th JWG meeting took place virtually in 2021.