Ambassador Al-Shamali: Kuwait-India Relations a 65-Year Strategic Partnership - Sarmad
Ambassador Al-Shamali highlights the history of diplomatic relations and bilateral cooperation agreements between Kuwait and India.
Translated by Qiyas from سرمد — Original source
Kuwait’s Ambassador to India, Meshal Al-Shammari, affirmed that the 65th anniversary of Kuwait-India diplomatic relations, celebrated by both countries this year, embodies a long journey deeply rooted in history and an ancient friendship dating back six centuries, based on strong, interconnected, and close commercial, social, and humanitarian ties.
Ambassador Al-Shammari stated that the 65-year trajectory of Kuwait-India relations has charted a path rich in achievements, culminating in the signing of nearly 40 agreements and memoranda of understanding for cooperation across various fields, including politics, defense, economy, trade, investment, education, culture, health, sports, labor, civil aviation, energy, and many others.
He added that several agreements and memoranda of understanding are still under review and negotiation between the two sides and will soon come into effect, contributing to strengthening the strategic partnership in the coming phase, particularly in its economic and commercial dimensions.
He noted that the two countries share deep historical ties that emerged thanks to communication and trade via maritime routes, until relations took on an official character with the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1961, and were further strengthened through high-level visits between officials of both countries.
He clarified that continuous exchanges of visits at various levels contributed to the development and growth of bilateral relations in all their dimensions, elevating them to the level of a strategic partnership. This occurred during the historic visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kuwait in December 2024, reflecting mutual commitment to realizing the aspirations of the two friendly peoples within the framework of national visions for the future, represented by “Kuwait 2035” and “Viksit Bharat 2047” (Advanced India by 2047).
Ambassador Al-Shammari explained that within the framework of this strategic partnership, and driven by a shared commitment to elevate relations to broader horizons, the bilateral trajectory has shown a noticeable upward trend, evident in continuous coordination between the political and economic leaderships of both countries, especially amid current geopolitical tensions, as well as in ongoing political consultations between the ministries of foreign affairs, alongside meetings of joint committees and specialized working groups.
He pointed out that these mechanisms contribute to enhancing efforts aimed at achieving mutual benefits from the strategic partnership, and it is hoped that they will help expand the base of the deep-rooted historical ties between the two countries and open new horizons aligned with the requirements of the times, through continuing high-level visits, expanding the scope of cooperation, sharing expertise and visions, and strengthening people-to-people ties.
He said that India is one of Kuwait’s most important trading partners, with Kuwaiti investments in India successfully operating in vital sectors that contribute to the development of the Indian economy and benefit the diversification of income sources for the Kuwaiti economy.
He expressed hope that the coming phase will witness greater inflows of Kuwaiti investments into India, and conversely, Indian investments in the Kuwaiti market in sectors that contribute to elevating the national economy. He also noted that Kuwait is among India’s most important suppliers of oil and gas, with its exports covering about 5 percent of India’s energy needs.
Ambassador Al-Shammari indicated that the visions of “New Kuwait 2035” and “Advanced India 2047” provide an excellent opportunity to develop and expand the frameworks of bilateral cooperation in various fields, striving to achieve mutual benefits that contribute to meeting the aspirations of the peoples of both countries.
From this standpoint, he expressed hope for the continuation of Kuwaiti-Indian cooperation, which is built on solid foundations and robust principles, stating: “We hope that the coming years will witness further progress, growth, and prosperity in the strategic partnership relations between the two friendly countries.”
