PM Modi to leave for Kuwait on Saturday: MEA

India and Kuwait are expected to focus on shoring up ties in a range of key areas including defence and trade during Prime Minister Narendra Modis twoday visit to the Gulf nation beginning SaturdayModi will hold talks with the top Kuwaiti leadership visit an Indian labour camp address the Indian community and attend the opening ceremony of the Gulf Cup football tournamentIt will be the first trip to the Gulf nation by an Indian prime minister in 43 yearsA day ahead of the prime ministers trip the Ministry of External Affairs MEA said discussions are underway with Kuwait on a bilateral investment treaty and a defence cooperation pactAt a media briefing Arun Kumar Chatterjee Secretary Overseas Indian Affairs in the MEA said a few bilateral documents are expected to be firmed up during the prime ministers visitThe historic visit by the prime minister is expected to open a new chapter in IndiaKuwait bilateral relations he saidIt will not only consolidate the partnership in existing spheres but also unveil new avenues for future cooperation reinforce our shared values and build a more stronger and dynamic partnership for the future he addedChatterjee said the visit is also expected to boost the ties between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council GCCThe GCC is an influential grouping comprising the United Arab Emirates Bahrain Saudi Arabia Oman Qatar and Kuwait The total volume of Indias trade with GCC countries stood at USD 18446 billion in the financial year 202223Kuwait is the current chair of the GCCChatterjee said India is holding negotiations with the GCC for a free trade pactWe hope both sides will be able to conclude it he addedOn Modis planned visit to a labour camp in Kuwait Chatterjee said the government of India attaches considerable importance to the welfare of all the Indian workers abroadThe idea of the visit of the prime minister to the labour camp is to express the amount of importance the government of India attaches to our workers That is the prime purpose he saidOver 45 Indians were killed in devastating fire in a building housing foreign workers in southern Kuwaits Mangaf locality in JuneThe prime minister is visiting Kuwait at the invitation of Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal AlAhmad AlJaber AlSabahBesides meeting the Emir Modi will also hold talks with the Kuwaiti Crown Prince and the prime ministerThe visit would help develop a more dynamic partnership between the two countries Chatterjee saidModi will review with the Kuwaiti leadership the entire spectrum of bilateral ties including in areas of trade investment energy culture and peopletopeople contacts he saidThe Kuwaiti Crown Prince will also to host a banquet for Modi he addedThe last Indian prime minister to visit Kuwait was Indira Gandhi in 1981India is among the top trading partners of Kuwait The Indian community is the largest expatriate community in KuwaitThe Gulf nation is among Indias top trading partners with bilateral trade valued at USD 1047 billion in the financial year 202324Kuwait is Indias sixth largest crude supplier meeting 3 percent of the countrys energy needsIndian exports to Kuwait reached USD 2 billion for the first time while investments by the Kuwait Investment Authority in India exceed USD 10 billionIndia and Kuwait have enjoyed traditionally friendly relations with links dating back to preoil Kuwait when maritime trade with India was the backbone of its economyKuwaits economy revolved around its fine harbour and maritime activities which included ship building pearl diving fishing and voyages to India on wooden dhows carrying dates Arabian horses and pearls that were traded for wood cereals clothes and spices according to people tracking the ties between the two nationsThe Indian Rupee remained legal tender in Kuwait until 1961 a symbol of the enduring economic and cultural tiesDiplomatic relations between the two countries were formally established in 1961 with India initially represented by a trade commissionerEmir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jabar Al Sabah visited India on a private visit in July 2017The last highlevel visit from either side was that of the prime minister of Kuwait to India in 2013This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever