PM Narendra Modi was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour at the Bayan Palace
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day historic visit to Kuwait, was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour at the Bayan Palace on Sanday, ahead of his talks with Kuwait's top leadership. He was also conferred with Kuwait's highest honour "The Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer" by Kuwait's Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
The Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer is a knighthood order of Kuwait. Previously, the order had been awarded to Heads of State, foreign Sovereigns and members of foreign royal families -- including Bill Clinton, Prince Charles and George Bush-- as a sign of friendship. This is the 20th international honour given to PM Modi by a country.
Narendra Modi reached Kuwait on Saturday for a two-day visit, the first for any Indian Prime Minister in 43 years. The last Indian prime minister to visit Kuwait was Indira Gandhi in 1981. He is visiting Kuwait at the invitation of Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
After receiving the grand welcome, PM Modi held extensive talks with the Amir, Crown Prince Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah and his Kuwaiti counterpart. During the dialogue, India and Kuwait elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership.
In their discussions, the two leaders focused on boosting ties in areas of information technology, pharmaceuticals, fintech, infrastructure and security.
In a post on 'X', PM Modi described his meeting with the Emir as "excellent".
"Excellent meeting with His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah. We discussed cooperation in key sectors like pharmaceuticals, IT, FinTech, Infrastructure and security," he said.
"In line with the close ties between our nations, we have elevated our partnership to a strategic one and I am optimistic that our friendship will flourish even more in the times to come," he added.
The prime minister has also met Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the talks between the prime minister and the Emir focused on exploring ways to take India-Kuwait ties to "new heights".
PM Modi expressed his gratitude to the Emir for the welfare of the Indian community in Kuwait, he said.
Kuwait is India's critical trade partner, with bilateral trade valued at USD 10.47 billion in the financial year 2023-24. The Gulf nation is ranked the sixth-largest supplier of crude oil and meets 3 per cent of India's energy needs.
Indian exports to Kuwait reached USD 2 billion for the first time, while investments by the Kuwait Investment Authority in India exceeded USD 10 billion.
Earlier, Prime Minister Modi took to X and highlighted multifaceted ties between India and Kuwait. "India and Kuwait share multifaceted ties rooted in history, culture and mutual respect. Our strong relations extend across energy, trade and investments. We also have a vibrant Indian diaspora strengthening the friendship further," he wrote.
