“Kuwait and India share centuries-old ties, with maritime trade forming the backbone of their historical relationship.”
Kuwait and India have enjoyed a strong and friendly relationship for over six decades. What have been the most significant milestones in Kuwait-India relations, and how do you envision this partnership evolving in the coming years?
I would like to underline the importance of deep-rooted historical relations between the State of Kuwait and the Republic of India. Kuwait and India share centuries-old ties, with maritime trade forming the backbone of their historical relationship. The Indian Rupee was once legal tender in Kuwait until 1961, symbolizing the enduring economic and cultural bond between the two nations. Diplomatic relations were formally established in 1961, which further solidified this partnership.
Both countries always stood with each other during the difficult times and look forward to work together to build upon this extra ordinary foundation. It is a moment of pride for both the countries and their friendly people as they share a vast history of relationship in various fields. These are the important milestones in Kuwait-India relations.
The recent historic visit of His Excellency Mr. Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of the Friendly Republic of India, to the State of Kuwait during the period from December 21-22, 2024, marks the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the State of Kuwait in 43 years. During the visit, both nations elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership. I am confident that this visit will consolidate partnerships in existing areas such as energy, trade and food security, while also exploring new avenues for collaboration in defense and investment and unveil new avenues for cooperation, reinforce shared values, and build a stronger partnership for the future.
The recent visit of the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister to India was seen as a crucial step in deepening bilateral ties. Could you share the key outcomes of this visit, and how will they shape the future of Kuwait-India relations?
His Excellency Mr. Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, Foreign Minister of the State of Kuwait visited India on December 3-4, 2024 at the invitation of External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. During the visit, H.E. Mr. Al-Yahya called on Mr. Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of the Republic of India. They discussed measures to enhance cooperation in trade, investment, energy, technology, culture and strong people to people ties.
H.E. also held bilateral talks with his Indian counterpart Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, where both Ministers reviewed the entire spectrum of Kuwait-India ties in areas such as political, trade, investment, energy, food security and people to people ties. They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
The two Ministers signed an MoU on establishing a Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) at the level of Foreign Ministers. New Joint Working Groups in areas of Trade, Investment, Education, Technology, Agriculture, Security and Culture, will be set up under the JCC. The JCC would also oversee existing working groups in areas such as hydrocarbons, health, and consular matters. This Joint Commission for Cooperation is of great importance, as it is possible through it to resolve outstanding issues between the two countries and enhance cooperation in many areas of mutual interest, such as increasing the volume of trade and investment, developing the health and education system, ensuring food security, and cooperation in the field of information technology, shaping a new era of collaboration.
Kuwait presents various investment opportunities for foreign businesses. What specific sectors are currently open for investment by Indian companies, and what steps is the Kuwaiti government taking to attract foreign investment, particularly from India?
Kuwait and India have a strong economic relationship, with India being a top trading partner of Kuwait. The volume of investment between the two countries increased significantly over the past few years, with cumulative FDI inflows from Kuwait to India amounting to US$ 10.1 billion as of March 2023. The State of Kuwait is committed to attract foreign investment, particularly from India, and for this, it recently launched a new investment promotion strategy that is specifically targeting Indian investment in a variety of promising sectors, including infrastructure, manufacturing, tourism, health and energy.
During the visit of H.E Mr. Narendra Modi to Kuwait, both sides recognized the need for closer and greater engagement between investment authorities in Kuwait and India. Theyencouraged companies of both countries to invest and participate in infrastructure projects and directed the concerned authorities of both countries to fast-track and complete the ongoing negotiations on the Bilateral Investment Treaty.
There are many Indian companies in Kuwait, including Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Tata Consultancy Service (TCS), Tech Mahindra, Air India, Indigo, Akasa Air, Tata, Ashok Leyland, Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd. Indian traders have been involved in various businesses in Kuwait, including textiles, spices, foodstuff, etc.
India and Kuwait have long-standing trade relations, especially in the energy sector. Are there other emerging areas of trade where you see potential for growth, and how can both countries diversify their trade partnerships beyond oil?
Kuwait-India relations have always had an important trade and economic dimension. India has consistently been among the top trading partners of Kuwait, with a total bilateral trade reaching US$ 10.47 billion during FY 2023-24.Kuwait remains a reliable supplier of crude oil & Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to India, meeting crucial energy needs of the country. During the same period, Kuwait was the 6th largest crude supplier and 4th largest supplier of petroleum gas to India, meeting about 3.5% of India’s total energy needs.
Apart from energy sector, there are other emerging areas of trade where potential exists to further diversify it. During the visit of H.E. Mr. Narendra Modi to Kuwait, both countries discussed avenues to transform the cooperation from a buyer-seller relationship to a comprehensive partnership with greater collaboration in different sectors. Both sides expressed keenness to support companies of the two countries to increase cooperation in the fields of exploration and production of oil and gas, refining, engineering services, petrochemical industries, new and renewable energy. Both sides also agreed to discuss participation by Kuwait in India’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve Programme.
I foresee potential for growth in the area of trade and economic cooperation between Kuwait and India, such as to encourage the use of local currencies (Kuwaiti Dinar-Indian Rupee) for cross-border transactions including trade, remittance, and investment flows, which will likely to benefit over 1 million Indians living in Kuwait, and travelers between the two countries.
Kuwait’s Vision 2035 aims to transform the country into a diversified and sustainable economy. What role do you see India playing in helping Kuwait achieve the goals outlined in this vision, particularly in terms of technology, infrastructure, and human resources?
Kuwait’s Vision 2035 “New Kuwait” focuses on diversifying its economy away from oil and transforming Kuwait into a financial and trade hub regionally and internationally. The Vision 2035 emphasizes a business-friendly climate where the private sector leads economic growth, enhances competition, and improves productivity. Supported by strategic geography, progressive legislative frameworks, a comprehensive judiciary, and a balanced foreign policy, the State of Kuwait seeks to elevate government performance and utilize national resources to realize Vision 2035 objectives.
Kuwait’s Vision 2035offers India an opportunity to collaborate in emerging fields such as renewable energy, infrastructure, technology and human resources. I am confident that India can play a vital role in helping Kuwait achieve the goals outlined in this vision. For example, Kuwait’s demand for a skilled workforce as part of its Vision 2035 aligns with India’s expertise in skill development, and therefore, collaborative efforts could see more Indian workers contributing to Kuwait’s growth in fields like healthcare, technology, infrastructure and human resources.
The 6th India-Kuwait Foreign Office Consultations in July 2024 marked another important step in bilateral dialogue. Could you highlight the most important agreements and discussions that came out of these consultations, and how they will impact future cooperation?
So far, six rounds of Foreign Office Consultations (FoCs) have been held in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2023 and 2024. The last (6th) FOC was held in Kuwait on 24 July 2024at the level of Assistant Foreign Minister for Asia Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait, and Joint Secretary (Gulf), Ministry of External Affairs of India.
During the FOC, both sides reviewed the entire gamut of multifaceted ties to further strengthen and diversify it. They exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, and expressed satisfaction with the traditionally strong bilateral ties.They also agreed to strengthen cooperation in various areas, including political ties, regular high-level exchanges, trade and investment, education, technology, health, culture and people to people contacts.
I am sure that the timely convening of the FOC between both the countries will impart further momentum in bilateral relations, as the FOC provides an important platform for both sides to review the progress of bilateral agreements and discussions on ongoing negotiations of various agreements and MoUs for early finalization.
Kuwait is often perceived as a business and trade hub, but it also has a unique cultural heritage and natural beauty. How is Kuwait working to promote tourism, and what experiences would you like to highlight to attract Indian tourists?
Kuwait-India relationship has been anchored by close cultural contacts and mutual exchange. The government of the State of Kuwait has taken a number of initiatives to promote tourism sector in the country and to highlight its cultural heritage and hospitality, inviting people of different cultures to learn about Kuwait’s history and traditions. These include government efforts to facilitate the entry of visitors and the development of the country’s tourism infrastructure. Kuwait has made substantial investments in improving and expanding its tourism facilities, such as hotels, restaurants, and shopping malls and recreational facilities, which has drawn more tourists, especially from India. The organization of events and festivals has also played a crucial role in attracting more visitors.
The improvement of tourism services, with a focus on quality and customer satisfaction, has contributed to this growth, leading to higher satisfaction levels among visitors. For a society like Kuwait, with which India shares a rich historical connection, Kuwait’s tourism opportunities are an invitation to explore and deepen the shared cultural ties between both the countries.
In order to further enhance this cultural aspect, we are making efforts to revive the role of Indo-Kuwait Friendship Society, which was established in 2011 in the State of Kuwait to promote and develop mutual cooperation and cultural awareness between the residents of the Kuwait and India and the World at large.
Cultural diplomacy and people-to-people ties are essential to deepening bilateral relations. What initiatives are currently underway to promote cultural, academic, and educational exchanges between Kuwait and India?
Kuwait and India have always shared a deep respect for each other’s culture and traditions. Our cultural exchange has not only enriched our cultural ethos and traditions but has also played an important role in strengthening our bilateral relations.
In order to promote cultural, academic and educational exchanges, both countries have taken many initiatives, such as a Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) for 2025-2029, was signed during the recent visit of H.E. Mr. Narendra Modi to Kuwait. This will facilitate greater cultural exchanges in arts, music, and literature festivals, and further enhance people to people contacts and strengthening the cultural cooperation.
Apart from this, cultural programmes and festivals are being held from time to time to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Kuwait and India and to promote the ongoing cultural exchange between the two countries.
Furthermore, educational exchanges and academic collaborations play a vital role in strengthening the ties between India and Kuwait. Both countries have signed a number of agreements to promote educational exchanges and academic collaborations, including the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Education and Higher Education (2017) and the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Vocational Education and Training (2019).
These agreements will facilitate channels between Kuwait Ministry of Higher Education and Indian Ministry of Higher Education to collaborate in the areas of exchange of students and faculty, joint research and development projects, curriculum design, active participation in educational events and sharing of best practices and expertise, as well as to develop programs that are relevant to the needs of students in both the countries.
Kuwait and India have a history of collaboration in fields like healthcare and education. How do you see these sectors growing in terms of bilateral cooperation, especially with India’s expertise in medical services and academic institutions?
The health sector is one of the most important aspects of cooperation between the State of Kuwait and the Republic of India, which has achieved a remarkable growth over the past few years. During the Prime Minister of India’s visit to Kuwait in December 2024, both sides acknowledged health cooperation as one of the important pillars of bilateral ties and expressed their commitment to further strengthen collaboration in this important sector. They discussed the possibility of setting up of Indian pharmaceutical manufacturing plants in Kuwait.
Currently, several Indian healthcare practitioners, including physicians, nurses, and allied professionals, have become an integral part of Kuwait’s medical and health-related infrastructure, creating a fertile ground for expanded cooperation in this field.With attention being given by both the governments, there are prospects for establishing collaboration in a wide range of health applications, including specialized medical education, academic partnerships, and technological cooperation in healthcare delivery.
Likewise, Educational cooperation and academic collaborations play a vital role in strengthening bilateral relations between the State of Kuwait and the Republic of India. During the visit of H.E. Mr. Narendra Modi to Kuwait, both nations highlighted that education is an important area of cooperation including strengthening institutional linkages and exchanges between higher educational institutions of both countries. Both sides also expressed interest in collaborating on Educational Technology, exploring opportunities for online learning platforms and digital libraries to modernize educational infrastructure.
India’s National Education Policy 2020, with its focus on building international connections, aligns with the objectives of Kuwait’s Vision 2035 for developing human capital and economic diversification. This has raised prospects for further collaborations, especially to set up Indian colleges and universities in Kuwait, with priorities accorded to disciplines ranging from engineering, medicine, management, to information technology and so on.
Would you like to give any message to our Envoy Excellency readers?
I would like to thank the readers of ‘Envoy Excellency’ for their keen interest in exploring Kuwait-India relations, conveying them that the future of bilateral relations between both the countries looks promising for multifaceted partnership. Both nations are keen to explore new avenues of cooperation, including renewable energy, healthcare, technology, education, food security and cyber security. Both nations are working on sustainable development and leveraging each other’s strengths to achieve common goals. I would like also to thank the Indian community in Kuwait for their dedication to work and giving a beautiful image of Kuwait-India relation.