Kuwait: Indian Ambassador to Kuwait, Adarsh Swaika called on Kuwait Deputy Prime Minister Imad Mohammad Abdulaziz Al-Ateeqi and apprised him of the strong bilateral cooperation between India and Kuwait in the sector hydrocarbons.
He also spoke about the strong possibility of cooperation between the two countries in the upstream and downstream sectors.
“Amb @AdarshSwaika1 called on Dy PM and Oil Minister of Kuwait HE Dr Imad Mohammad Abdulaziz Al-Ateeqi. Amb apprised the Minister of strong bilateral cooperation in hydrocarbons and good possibilities of cooperation in upstream and downstream sectors,” the Indian Embassy in Kuwait posted on X.
Last month, Indian Ambassador Swaika met the newly appointed Kuwait’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Abdullah Hamad AlJouan and highlighted the growing bilateral ties between the two countries.
During their meeting, both leaders discussed the significant potential for strengthening bilateral economic cooperation including investments.
India and Kuwait share historically warm and close bilateral ties and the relationship has been nourished by sustained cultural and civilizational linkages. There are around one million Indians in Kuwait. India is amongst the largest trading partners of Kuwait and the Gulf country is a major supplier of oil.
India and Kuwait enjoy traditionally friendly relations, rooted in history, and have stood the test of time. Geographic proximity, historical trade links, cultural affinities, and the presence of a large number of Indian nationals in Kuwait continue to sustain and nurture this long-standing relationship. India has been a natural trading partner of Kuwait and until 1961 Indian Rupee was the legal tender in Kuwait, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
Historically, Indo-Kuwaiti relations have always had an important trade dimension. India has consistently been among the top ten trading partners of Kuwait. Total bilateral trade with Kuwait during 2015-16 was USD 6.2 billion.
India’s exports to Kuwait grew by 4 per cent (USD 1.24 billion) in 2015-16 vis-a-vis 2014-15.
India’s exports to Kuwait include food items, cereals, textiles, garments, electrical and engineering equipment, machinery and mechanical appliances, cars, trucks, buses, tyres, chemicals, jewellery, handicrafts, metal products, iron and steel, etc.