Modi in Kuwait
By Prof. (Dr.) D.K. Giri
(Secy Gen, Assn for Democratic Socialism)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a two-day visit to Kuwait on the invitation of the Emir. It was a historic event inasmuch as the Indian Prime Minister was visiting the country after a long gap of 43 years; Indira Gandhi was in Kuwait in 1981. Second, during this visit, bilateral relations between the two countries were elevated to a strategic partnership. Third, the Indian Prime Minister was conferred with the highest honour of Kuwait, ‘The Order of Mubarak AL-Kabeer’.
A visit by the Head of State to a country indicates the importance attached to the host country by the visiting Head. The visit by Modi was significant as it came after 43 years by his predecessor. And it’s like the Prime Minister visiting Poland after a gap of 45 years that showed the priority India attaches to Poland. The strategic heft of Warsaw grew considerably after it joined the European Union and NATO. Poland was under the ‘Soviet/Russian sphere of influence’ and it borders Ukraine and Russia. Now it assumes the Presidency of the European Union, which, of course, is a rotating position.
Likewise, Kuwait holds the Chair of six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). India is negotiating an FTA Agreement with GCC. Modi impressed upon the Emir, the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister of Kuwait for moving towards an early conclusion of an FTA with GCC. Notably, GCC countries hold 1/6th of India’s total trade, one third of India’s Diaspora, about 9 million Indians. A close cooperation with GCC is essential for India’s growth.
Among GCC countries, Kuwait has been friendly with India, barring a downturn in ties during the Gulf War, to be more precise, Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. More on that, a bit later. Kuwait remains important to India. It has 6.5 per cent of world oil reserve, sixth largest crude oil and LPG supplier to India, meeting 3.5 per cent of India’s energy needs. Indians constitute 21 per cent of Kuwait’s population and 30 per cent of its work force. Indians are the largest expat group in Kuwait. While meeting with the Indian Diaspora in Kuwait, Modi lauded their contribution in talent, technology and traditions to the growth and development of Kuwait. He called them a ‘mini Hindustan’.
In addition to one-to-one meeting with the Emir and at a delegation level with the Kuwait Prime Minister, he attended the inauguration of the Arabian Gulf Club football tournament. This was part of a cultural diplomacy allowing time for informal exchange of pleasantries between Heads of States. It is a popular tournament among eight countries, Kuwait having won the trophy more than any other teams. People-to-people exchange and cultural diplomacy enrich bilateral relations. Also, an MoU was signed for 2025-28 to promote cooperation in sports between the two countries.
The strategic partnership, signed during the visit, aims at enhancing bilateral relations in all possible and potential sectors. This includes defence, wherein it would translate into joint military exercises, training of defence personnel, coastal defence, maritime safety, and joined development and production of defence equipment. It will also include counter terrorism operations, sharing of intelligence and information, anti-money laundering and drug-trafficking. The cooperation will deepen in pharmaceuticals, IT, Fin-tech, infrastructure, solar energy, health, digital, innovation, and textiles etc. It was decided to gradually move the focus from fossil fuel to trading in renewable energy, wherein it will be easier to step up cooperation as Kuwait is a member of the International Solar Alliance.
Prime Minister Modi appreciably noted that ‘Made in India’ products were finding their way into Kuwait including automobiles, electrics, mechanical and telecom etc. He suggested that the petrochemical sector could be another big trade bridge between both countries as it is likely to grow up to 300b USD by 2025. The leadership of both countries agreed to promote business delegations from both countries and greater institutional linkages. Kuwait could explore more opportunities for investment in India. At the same time, Modi stressed that India has the technology and skills to contribute to making of a New Kuwait.
On international politics, both leadership discussed Gaza and Ukraine. Modi reiterated his commitment to finding a negotiated solution to the war. On Gaza, he reaffirmed India’s commitment two-state solution by recourse to dialogue and diplomacy. He said ‘No’ to terrorist action that provokes retaliation causing deaths and destruction.
It is necessary to recall that relations between India and Kuwait go back to millennia, as evidenced by discovery of the artifacts of pottery and jewellery from the Kuwait Island of Failaka. Before the oil was found in Kuwait, trade between India and Kuwait consisted of dates and pedigreed horses. After trading on horses stopped at the end of the Second World War, Pearls and teak wood were the items traded.
As Kuwait got independence in 1961, India was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic contacts. In 1962, Kuwait supported India in its war with China. Ever since, the relations between both countries remained friendly. Kuwaitis concentrated in Bombay for their trade and commerce. Emir of Kuwait even had a house in Marine Drive in Mumbai.
The bilateral relations plummeted by India’s pro-Iraq stance during Gulf War. New Delhi refused to condemn Iraq for invading and annexing Kuwait. India was the first country to shift her embassy from Kuwait to Basra, Iraq. It was surly bad diplomacy by New Delhi. It has often fumbled in condemning the aggression in balancing the principle of international law and national interest. It faltered in condemning Soviet occupation of Hungary in 1956, Afghanistan in 1979, Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait in 1990 and Ukraine in 2022. New Delhi gets away with such diplomatic faux pas as it has not attacked any country, nor has it incurred into territories of other countries.
Talking of Kuwait, New Delhi almost repeated the mistake in Afghanistan. One statement, made during the Gulf War, indicates its confusion, “We regret that it had not been possible for Iraq and Kuwait to resolve their differences, we hope for Iraqi withdrawals (instead of calling for them)”. And in the same sentence, noted Iraqi statements in this connection. There was not a word of disapproval of Iraqi action. It is perhaps India’s policy of non-alignment in the past and strategic autonomy now that makes India tentative and vulnerable and thus New Delhi does not want to provoke enmity with anyone, even if it is an invader.
The demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992 had thrown another spanner into the fragile relationship. However, that is history. Prime Minister Modi’s visit and Kuwait’s highest honour to him have put those two bad patches into the dustbin of history. Let it be said and realised that India, in quest for a world role and a big power status, should stand up for international law in keeping with her tradition for peace, non-violence, and non-aggression, unless it endorses a Darwinian world and lives by the logic of survival. — INFA