India-Kuwait Relationship: A Blossoming bond.

Thursday, February 20, 2025

India and Kuwait shares a deeply-rooted and well disposed relationship that has proved to be truly unwavering in the most difficult of times. This involves from cooperation in sectors that range from economy, health, science and technology, defence and most significant, ‘the people to people ties’.

Past relationship
A most interesting fact, is that to the middle of the 20th century, the Indian rupee was used in Kuwait! India has been a natural trading partner of Kuwait since ancient times. India was one of the first countries to establish a close relationship with Kuwait after its Independence from British Protectorate in 1961. Till the discovery and development of oil, Kuwait’s economy revolved around its fine harbour and maritime activities and included voyages to India on wooden dhows carrying dates, Arabian horses and pearls that were traded for wood, cereals, clothes and spices.

Economic Cooperation
Kuwait is the 6th largest crude oil provider and 4th largest LPG provider to India, and share top trading relations with each other and Kuwait authority investments in India go beyond USD 10 billion dollar. India exports include aircraft and spacecraft components, cereals, and jewellery. A Joint Working Group on Sector- Hydrocarbons was set up.

Defence Cooperation
Indian Naval Ship INS Visakhapatnam visited the Kuwait coast from 19 to 22 August 2023. India-Kuwait defence related seminar was conducted in May 2023, the ties are expected to boost since the visit of Indian PM to Kuwait signaled that trade and defence cooperation would form the key pillars of their ties.

Science and Technology
India and Kuwait have signed an S&T, a science and technology, Agreement in April 2009. A delegation from KISR ( Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research) visited India in November 2013 and signed a Programme of Cooperation with Department of Science & Technology and a memorandum of understanding with The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR ).

Health sector
An Indian medical team travelled aboard a special aircraft from India to Kuwait in April 2020 to help fight COVID-19 in Kuwait. Kuwait sent a special aircraft with cylinders, oxygen concentrators, ventilators and other medical supplies onboard reaching India on 04 May, 2021. To show solidarity with India against its fight against COVID-19 pandemic, the seaside landmark of iconic Kuwait Towers were lit in Indian Tricolour on 26 May 2021 with ‘Kuwait stands with India (“कु वैत आपकेसाथ है”) message, In total, over 425 metric tons of liquid medical oxygen, over 12,500 oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, ventilators and other medical equipment was sent as aid from Kuwait.

Cultural ties
Indian music, movies and dances are widely popular in various organisations (over 200 indian organisations in Kuwait) in Kuwait, who organize humanitarian and cultural activities. Cultural events like ‘Splendors of India’ and ‘Namaste Kuwait’ were held in 2022. A ‘Festival of India’ was held in Kuwait in March 2023 which was virtually inaugurated by MoS (External Affairs & Culture).

In terms of music it can be said that both the middle eastern and Indian style have greatly influenced each other in comparative terms, as can be seen in many film songs like-‘khatouba’. In this song ‘khatouba’ Asha Bhosle has sung it wonderfully adopting an Arabic style of singing and vibrato. And of course ‘Guli Mata’ beautifully blending Arabic and Hindi language and styles.

Hindi songs, overwhelmingly found in Bollywood movies, often include Urdu lyrics, a language heavily influenced by Arabic. Qawwalis originated in South Asia in the 13th century, when Sufi masters used Turkish, Persian, Arabic and Indian musical traditions to make a type of variety of music.

Adopting Cultures
Recently, Kuwaiti’s have begun to adopt some Indian practices and style. The Government of India awarded the esteemed 'Padma Shri' to Sheikha Shaikha Ali Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of Kuwait for her contributions to promoting Yoga in Kuwait and the wider region on January 25. I have been fortunate to peform with a Kuwaiti violinist and a Kuwaiti singer (for Kuwait television) who have adopted Indian classical music and continues to peform it.

People to People ties
Indian community stands at over 1 million in kuwait and is the largest community in the country. This involves a good number of Indian doctors and nurses in Kuwait. There are 26 CBSE schools in Kuwait with over 60,000 students from various nationalities in Kuwait. It can be rightly said that the Indian business community has carved a niche in the Kuwait market. The presence of Indian owned retail outlets such as Lulu is seen in Kuwait.

India and Kuwait continue to share a good relationship. As an Indian, born in Kuwait, I truly appreciate and admire the cultures of both the countries.

Serafin Fredy
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By:

Serafin Fredy, IIK Young Contributor

Disclaimer: Statements and opinions expressed in the article are those of the authors and written by them; the author is solely responsible for the content in this article. IndiansinKuwait.com does not hold any responsibility for them.

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