Friendly and Warm Relationship Between India And Kuwait

Tisha Choubey, V-B, Carmel School

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

India—Kuwait Relations Are Bilateral Friendly Relations Between The Republic Of India And The 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.
India And Kuwait Enjoy Traditionally Friendly Relations, Rooted In History And Have Stood The Test Of Time. India Has Been A Natural Trading Partner Of Kuwait And Until 1961 Indian Rupee Was The Legal Tender In Kuwait. Till The Discovery And Development Of Oil, Kuwait's Economy Was Driven By 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 .

1.Political Relations: India And Kuwait Have Had A Healthy Tradition Of High-Level Contacts, As Outlined Below:
2. Visits From India To Kuwait: These Have Been Made By Vice President Dr. Zakir Husain In 1965, By Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi In 1981 And By Vice President Shri Hamid Ansari In 2009. Minister Of Petroleum And Natural Gas, And Steel, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Paid An Official Visit To Kuwait On 11-12 October 2020 To Offer Condolences On The Sad Demise Of Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, The Late Amir Of Kuwait.

3. Visits From Kuwait To India: These Have Included Those By The Crown Prince And Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah In 1964, His Highness The Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah In 1980 And Again In 1983 (For The NAM Summit), HH The Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah In 2006 And HH The Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah In November 2013.

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" 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. 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

Tisha Choubey, V-B, Carmel School Kuwait

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