Indo-Kuwait Relationships: A Fruitful Alliance
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
The book West Asia and the Region: Defining India’s Role says: “There is hardly any region in the world with which India has better, warmer and more cordial relations than the Arab World". In the present times, mutual trust and amicable relations between every nation are essential for world peace and harmony. Indo- Kuwait relations are the ideal model for such diplomatic fellowships. The bilateral relationships between these two Asian nations go back several centuries, which helped in providing solid foundations of beneficial cooperation and cultural affinities to this day.
Recently, several antiquities were discovered on the Kuwaiti island of Failaka that served as a passage for ships traveling from Mesopotamia and India. This truly tells us about how the relations between Kuwait and India date back to the fourth millennium BC. Kuwait's economy predominantly revolved around maritime activities and trade before the discovery of oil came about. The Kuwaiti sailors were used to making annual voyages to western ports of India where they would trade dates for wood, cereals, clothes, and spices. The geographical proximity played a huge role in the successful trade relations, with India currently being among the top ten trading partners of Kuwait.
Such fruitful expansion of trade dimensions led to possibilities for migration. Indians make up the largest expatriate communities in Kuwait, bringing about prominent benefits to both nations. Kuwait's need for a skilled labour force has opened many employment opportunities which is an advantage to the expats that come in search of such prospects. Simultaneously, migration has promoted good cultural ties. The relocation of Indians assured the introduction of Indian cuisine and their rich culture to the Gulf. Indians have been described by the Emir's special envoy as "a brilliant and the least problematic expatriate community which works for the overall development of Kuwait".
Overall, engagements between India and Kuwait have always opened better chances for the growth and development of both countries. These exchanges have consistently been increasing with time and will hopefully continue to do so in the future. Ergo, it's truly a delight to see such connections that help to foster camaraderie and comity for one and all in both lands.
References:
• http://dspace.jgu.edu.in:8080/jspui/bitstream/10739/3629/1/India-Kuwait%20Bilateral%20Relationship.pdf
• https://archive.ph/20130411040006/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-02-23/kuwait/37257192_1_kuwait-and-india-bilateral-trade-electrical-machinery-and-equipment#selection-711.1-711.267
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India%e2%80%93Kuwait_relations
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