Kuwaiti foreign minister in India; assures expatriate bill targets only “illegals” assures
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday held wide-ranging talks with his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah to elevate bilateral relations.
By IAR Desk
New Delhi: March 18: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of State of Cabinet Affairs of Kuwait Dr Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah met with Indian counterpart External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at the Hyderabad House earlier today.
The ExternalAffairs Minister tweeted that they have had “productive discussions” on bilateral agenda and regional developments. Jaishankar also said that he would co-chair Joint Commission with his Kuwait counterpart to elevate the ties between the two countries further.
“Glad to welcome this morning, along with @MOS_MEA (Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan, FM (foreign minister) @anmas71 (Dr. Ahmed Nasser Mohammed AlSabah) of Kuwait. Productive discussions on our bilateral agenda & regional developments. Will co-chair Joint Commission with him to elevate our relationship further,” the External Affairs Minister wrote in a tweet.
He added that he also “Conveyed appreciation for taking care of the Indian community in Kuwait.”
During his visit Minister al-Sabah has also assured that the recent draft bill introduced in the Kuwaiti parliament which seeks to cap the number of expatriates in the Gulf country to only 30 percent cent the population as compared to the current 70 per cent was only for “illegal expatiates”
The draft bill had rung alarm bells for Indian workers there, coming amidst the pandemic when ch had already rendered many workers jobless. Around 641,000 Indians live in Kuwait, constituting the largest expatriate community in the Gulf sheikhdom, and the implications of such a bill is significant.
Kuwait and India have close trade and Kuwait was the 10th largest oil supplier to India in 2019-20, meeting almost 3.8 per cent of India’s energy needs.
Jaishankar and Al-Sabah had discussed bilateral cooperation and the regional situation between the two countries on March 2.
India recently dispatched a consignment of Indian-made COVID-19 vaccines to assist Kuwait in its fight against the coronavirus. “Made in India vaccines now reach Kuwait. Valuing our close friendship and strong ties,” Jaishankar had tweeted at that time.
Last year India, on a request by Kuwait, had also sent a medical team to aid the country in its battle with Covid-19 pandemic.
Last year also, in February, Kuwait opened the office of defence attache in its embassy in New Delhi.
Wrapping up his India visit, Dr Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah flew to Islamabad.
– With agency inputs
