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PM Modi on Saturday afternoon arrived in Kuwait for a two-day visit to the Gulf nation at the invitation of the Amir of the State of Kuwait.
PM Modi addresses the Hala Modi event in Kuwait.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said he was happy to see the diversity of people from India in the Middle Eastern nation and called it a “mini-India”.
While speaking at the “Hala Modi” event at the Shaikh Saad Al Abdullah Indoor Sports Complex in Kuwait City, he said, “Just 2-2.5 hours ago, I arrived in Kuwait, and since I set foot here, I felt a strange feeling. You all come from different states of India, but seeing you here feels like a ‘Mini Hindustan’ gathered in front of me.”
Modi also talked about India’s digital progress and said that India has become digitally smart and this was just the beginning.
“Even for a cup of tea in a small shop, one uses UPI in India. We have become digitally savvy, and this is just the beginning,” he said.
He also spoke about the strong relationship between the two countries, touching on Kuwait’s support during the COVID-19 crisis.
“I remember that Kuwait sent us liquid oxygen when we were dealing with the COVID-19 epidemic, we are very grateful,” he said.
He arrived this afternoon in Kuwait on a historic two-day visit, which he described as an opportunity to define the roadmap for future relations between India and the gulf country.
It is noteworthy that Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Kuwait marked the first visit to the Gulf country by an Indian prime minister in 43 years. This trip comes at the invitation of Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Amir of the State of Kuwait.
Ahead of his visit to the Gulf nation, Prime Minister Modi said, “I am looking forward to my meetings with His Highness the Amir, the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister of Kuwait. It will be an opportunity to chart a course for future partnership for the benefit of our people and the region.”
He emphasized the strong trade and energy relations between the two countries and said, “We also share an interest in peace, security, stability and prosperity in the West Asian region.”
During this visit, Prime Minister Modi will hold talks with the senior leadership of Kuwait.
“I am looking forward to meeting the Indian diaspora in Kuwait who have played a major role in strengthening the ties of friendship between the two countries,” PM Modi said in an X post.
He also expressed his gratitude to the leadership of Kuwait for the special act of inviting him to the opening ceremony of the Arabian Gulf Cup, the premier sports event in the Gulf region. “I am looking forward to being part of this celebration of excellence in athletics and regional unity,” said the prime minister.
Prime Minister Modi also expressed his confidence that the visit will “strengthen and strengthen the special relationship and bonds of friendship between the people of India and Kuwait.”
Today and tomorrow, I will be visiting Kuwait. This visit will deepen India’s historic ties with Kuwait. I look forward to meeting His Highness the Amir, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Kuwait. Tonight, I will be speaking to the Indian community and…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 21, 2024
PM Modi Welcome
When Prime Minister Modi arrived at a hotel in Kuwait, where he will stay for the next two days, members of the Indian diaspora eagerly gathered to interact with him.
The Prime Minister interacted with members of the Indian diaspora and enjoyed cultural performances by Indian artists at the hotel, showcasing traditional acts from Kerala and other Indian states.
#WATCH | Kuwait: Prime Minister Narendra Modi watches artists’ performance, in Kuwait CityPM Modi is on a 2-day visit to Kuwait at the invitation of Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Amir of the State of Kuwait. This is the first visit of the Prime Minister of India… pic.twitter.com/udJtBr8MuP
— ANI (@ANI) December 21, 2024
He also met Abdullah Al Baroun and Abdul Lateef Al Nesef. Abdulla Al Baroun translated both Ramayana and Mahabharata into Arabic, while Abdul Lateef Al Nesef published Arabic translations of both scriptures.
PM Visits Labor Camp
As the first program of his visit to Kuwait, Modi visited a camp in the Mina Abdullah area of Kuwait with around 1500 Indian workers. He interviewed Indian workers from different states of India and inquired about their welfare.
‘Visit to Open a New Chapter of Ties’: MEA
A day before the prime minister’s visit, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said talks are ongoing with Kuwait on a bilateral investment agreement and a defense cooperation agreement.
In a press conference, Arun Kumar Chatterjee, Secretary (Overseas Indian Affairs) in the MEA, said that several bilateral documents are expected to be finalized during the prime minister’s visit.
“The historic visit of the Prime Minister is expected to open a new chapter in India-Kuwait bilateral relations,” he said.
“It will not only strengthen the relationship in the existing sectors but also reveal new ways of cooperation in the future, strengthen our shared values and build a strong and powerful partnership for the future,” he added.
Chatterjee said the visit is expected to boost relations between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The GCC is an influential group that includes the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait.
On Modi’s scheduled visit to the Kuwait camp, Chatterjee said the Indian government attaches great importance to the welfare of all Indian workers abroad.
“The idea of the prime minister’s visit to the labor camp is to express the great importance the Indian government attaches to our workers. That is the main goal,” he said.
More than 45 Indians died when a massive fire broke out in a building housing migrant workers in the southern Kuwaiti area of Mangaf in June.