KUWAIT: Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar held a telephone conversation on Tuesday. The conversation is part of the enhanced high-level political exchanges between India and Kuwait, a press release issued by Indian Embassy, Kuwait said.

During the conversation, both sides touched upon important areas of bilateral relations and exchanged views on the regional and global developments of mutual interest. Incidentally, both Foreign Ministers had previously served as ambassadors of their respective countries to the United States.

India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar

Jaishankar fondly recalled his official visit to Kuwait from 09-11 June, 2021 wherein he called on Prime Minister of Kuwait and delivered a letter from India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed to HH the Amir of Kuwait. The official visit culminated in the signing of several memoranda of understanding including one on 'cooperation in the recruitment of domestic Workers'.

Kuwait's foreign minister had earlier paid an official visit to India in March 2021. The Indian External Affairs Minister and Kuwait Foreign Minister also met in Tehran on August 5, 2021 on the sidelines of their visit to Iran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Iranian president, the release said. Both countries have also elevated the Joint Commission meeting to foreign minister level.

India and Kuwait share warm, multifaceted, dynamic and friendly relations, rooted in strong people-to-people contact. The year 2021-22 marked the 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Commercially, India has consistently been among the top ten trading partners of Kuwait. Bilateral trade for FY 2021-22 stood at $12.24 billion, registering a growth of 95.3 percent on annual basis. The strong and vibrant million plus Indian community in Kuwait remains a living bridge between the two countries, the released concluded.