India and Kuwait hold the first meeting of the Joint Defense Commission in New Delhi

India and Kuwait held the first meeting of their Joint Defense Committee on Friday in New Delhi, agreeing to enhance bilateral defense cooperation in the areas of training, military exercises, military medicine, defense industries, and research and development.

The Indian Ministry of Defense stated in a press release that the meeting represents an important step toward implementing the objectives outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation between the two countries, which was signed during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kuwait in December 2024.

The meeting was co-chaired by Amitabh Prasad, Secretary of the Indian Ministry of Defense, and Brigadier Raed Al-Saqran, who led the five-member Kuwaiti delegation. The Indian delegation included representatives from the three branches of the armed forces, the Directorate General of Defense Production, the Defense Research and Development Organization, the Armed Forces Medical Services, and the Ministry of External Affairs.

Brigadier Raed Al-Saqran laid a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi to honor national martyrs. The Kuwaiti delegation also held discussions with representatives of the Indian defense industry sector regarding potential areas of cooperation.

India and Kuwait share friendly relations rooted in historical ties, with diplomatic relations established in 1962 and elevated to a strategic partnership during the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Kuwait.

Several factors, including historical trade links, shared cultural relations, and the presence of a large Indian community in Kuwait, continue to sustain and develop the established, multifaceted relationship between the two countries.