External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar reached Kuwait on Sunday for a day-long visit to the Middle Eastern country, during which he is set to hold talks with the Kuwaiti leadership on various aspects of bilateral relations. Jaishankar was received by his Kuwaiti counterpart Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya on his arrival in the country.
"Namaste Kuwait. Thank FM Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya for the warm welcome. Looking forward to my engagements today with the Kuwaiti leadership," Jaishankar posted on X.
The EAM's visit will enable both sides to review various aspects of India-Kuwait bilateral relations including political, trade, investment, energy, security, cultural, consular and people-to-people contacts, as well as exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement ahead of the visit.
During the visit to the Middle Eastern country, the Minister is also likely to discuss the situation in Gaza with his Kuwaiti counterparts. Kuwait recently welcomed a Gaza ceasefire initiative floated by the US, Egypt and Qatar. Last week, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry voiced support for all efforts made within the framework of reaching agreements that would stop aggression on Gaza.
The visit came nearly two months after 45 Indians had died in a devastating fire at a building in Kuwait. At least 49 foreign workers were killed and 50 others injured in the fire in June at the seven-storey building in Kuwait's Mangaf.
The EAM's visit starts a day after India hosts the third Voice of Global South Summit this Saturday. This edition of the summit, themed “An Empowered Global South for a Sustainable Future”, is aimed at expanding discussions held in the previous summits on challenges that affect the world, such as conflicts, food and energy security crises, and climate change.
Last week, Jaishankar visited Maldives from August 9 to 11, where he was received by Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer at the airport. The visit was aimed at strengthening the partnership between the two countries and exploring avenues to enhance the bilateral relationship further. During the visit, he also met with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu and emphasised New Delhi's commitment to deepening India-Maldives ties for the benefit of the people in both countries and the region. Jaishankar's three-day official visit to the Maldives marked the first high-level trip from India after President Muizzu assumed office last year.