India–Kuwait relations

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India–Kuwait relations
Map indicating locations of India and Kuwait

India
Kuwait
Diplomatic mission
Embassy of India, Kuwait City, KuwaitEmbassy of Kuwait, New Delhi,India
Envoy
Indian Ambassador to Kuwait Adarsh SwaikaKuwaiti Ambassador to India Fahad Ahmad Al-Awadhi
Office of the Consul General of Kuwait in Mumbai

India–Kuwait relations are bilateral

State of Kuwait
. The two countries share friendly ties. Kuwait houses a large expatriate Indian population and is the source for 10–12% of India's oil imports while India is among the largest trade partners of Kuwait.

History

The recent discovery of artefacts such as pottery and jewellery from the Kuwaiti island of

teak-wood.[1]

Diplomatic relations between the countries began in June 1962 with the appointment of Yacoub Abdulaziz al-Rushaid as the first Kuwaiti Ambassador to India.

Bombay was a hub for many Kuwaiti businesses and the emir himself maintained a house there on the Marine Drive.[3]
While relations between the countries have traditionally been warm, they were strained in the early 1990s due to India's pro-
Hindu workers in Kuwait to prevent any worsening of relations with a "friendly India".[4]

Bilateral visits

There has been regular high level bilateral

Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in 1980 and 1983 and the Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in 2006 have led state visits from Kuwait to India.[5]

COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, in May 2020, the Indian Government sent a 15-member rapid response team and provided medical supplies to combat the pandemic.[6]

Kuwait also provided urgent medical assistance to India including Liquid Medical Oxygen, Oxygen concentrators and ventilators in during the second wave of COVID-19 in India during May 2021.[7][8][9]

Indians in Kuwait

Indians form one of the largest expatriate communities in Kuwait numbering about 640,000 people. Their presence in white collar jobs have been increasing consistently especially in the electronic, industrial, architectural and engineering sectors. Kuwait's Ministry of Health also employs a significant number of Indian medics and paramedics.[1] Indians have been described by the Emir's special envoy as having acquired a special space in Kuwait as "a brilliant and the least problematic expatriate community which works for the overall development of Kuwait".[10] There are however a large number of Indians working in low paying jobs and in 2011 as many as 22,000 Indians were found to be staying illegally in Kuwait and the Indian embassy in Kuwait facilitated the departure of 12,825 Indian nationals to India following the declaration of an Amnesty in Kuwait.[11][12] Indians in Kuwait remit over US$3 billion annually to India and Kuwait is home to 300 Indian associations and 18 Indian schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi.[13]

Economic relations

Trade

The Kuwaiti economy, before the discovery of oil, depended heavily on maritime activities and trade. Kuwait was a centre for

Indian Rupee was the legal tender in Kuwait and Indo–Kuwaiti commerce revolved around trade in agricultural goods, textiles and horses.[14]

In 2011–12,

electrical machinery and equipment and food items.[14] Kuwait is India's third largest trade partner in the Arab world and it accounted for 3.34% of India's global imports in 2011. India is however Kuwait's second largest export market and its fifth largest source of imports and has consistently been among the top ten trading partners of Kuwait with bilateral trade doubling to US$17.5 billion in 2011–12 from US$8.35 billion in 2007–08.[16]

In year 2022-2023, Commercially, growth can be seen in economic and trade cooperation between the two countries with bilateral trade amounting to US$13.8 billion for the period 2022-2023 recording its highest levels ever, with an increase of 12.8 per cent on an annual basis.[17]

Investments

Indian

oil and gas sector in both countries,[18][19] while Kuwait has welcomed Indian companies to bid for projects in Kuwait as it undertakes a massive infrastructure development programme.[20]

Technical cooperation

India and Kuwait have signed several agreements relating to scientific and technological cooperation including medical cooperation and in the areas of culture and education.

narcotic drugs and programmes for cultural and information exchanges between Kuwait and India.[13][22]

Defence Co-Operation

The defence and security relations have so far been limited to training and medical cooperation with Bilateral naval cooperation continuing to be the main element of defence cooperation. Four Indian

Kuwait navy.[28][29]

See also

External links

References

  1. ^ a b c "Prospering relations of Kuwait and India". Hindustan Times. February 23, 2012. Archived from the original on February 25, 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  2. ISBN 9788170233404
    .
  3. ISBN 9788171003433
    .
  4. ISBN 9788131710258
    .
  5. ^ "India-Kuwait Relations" (PDF). Ministry of External Affairs. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  6. ^ Chaudhury, Dipanjan Roy. "Kuwait lauds India for medical assistance; repatriation of citizens". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
  7. ISSN 0971-751X
    . Retrieved 2022-05-10.
  8. ^ "Indian gov't, people hail Kuwait's medical aid to fight COVID-19". ARAB TIMES - KUWAIT NEWS. 2021-06-09. Retrieved 2022-05-10.
  9. ^ Ani | (4 May 2021). "India receives a shipment of 282 oxygen cylinders, 60 oxygen concentrators, ventilators and other medical supplies from Kuwait". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2022-05-10.
  10. ^ "Indians 'Least Problematic' Community In Kuwait: Envoy". Arab Times. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  11. ^ "22,000 Indians Among 95,000 Illegals Still Living In Kuwait". Arab Times. June 16, 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  12. ^ "Indian Embassy Extends Help To '12,825 Nationals'". Arab Times. June 15, 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  13. ^ a b "India-Kuwait Relations". Indo-Kuwait Friendship Society. Archived from the original on 18 November 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  14. ^ a b c "Kuwait - India Relations: A holistic over view". The Times of India. February 23, 2013. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  15. ^ "High-level delegation from Kuwait to visit India this month". Business Standard. March 4, 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  16. ^ "India – Kuwait Economic Relations" (PDF). FICCI. Retrieved 13 March 2013.[permanent dead link]
  17. ISSN 0013-0389
    . Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  18. ^ "India, Kuwait agree to speed up oil and gas joint ventures". Hindustan Times. March 11, 2013. Archived from the original on March 30, 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  19. ^ "India, Kuwait agree to speed up oil and gas joint ventures". The New Indian Express. 11 March 2013. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  20. ^ "Kuwait seeks to expand trade with India". The New Indian Express. 8 March 2013. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  21. ^ "India, Kuwait ink agreements on education, culture". The Indian Express. April 8, 2009. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  22. ^ "Kuwait India Relations". Embassy of Kuwait, Delhi. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  23. ^ "Indian Navy ships visit Kuwait pushing defence ties". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  24. ^ kuwaittimes (2023-08-14). "Indian ambassador, Kuwait's Navy Chief discuss cooperation". Kuwait Times. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  25. ^ ANI; ThePrint (2023-08-14). "Indian envoy calls on Kuwait's Navy Chief, discusses navy to navy cooperation". ThePrint. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  26. ^ Staff Writer; Times, Arab. "Indian naval ship VISAKHAPATNAM docks at Kuwait's Al-Shuwaikh Port". www.zawya.com. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  27. ISSN 0013-0389
    . Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  28. ^ Times, Kuwait (2023-08-19). "Indian naval ship in Kuwait to enhance maritime ties". Kuwait Times. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  29. ^ International, Asian News (2023-08-20). "Kuwait: INS Visakhapatnam docks at Al-Shuwaikh Port". The Siasat Daily. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
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