India and Kuwait Hold 6th Round of Foreign Office Consultations to Boost Ties

India and Kuwait reviewed bilateral relations and discussed regional and international issues in their 6th round of Foreign Office consultations. Both nations agreed to strengthen cooperation in various sectors and set plans for the next meeting in New Delhi.

India and Kuwait engaged in their 6th round of Foreign Office consultations in Kuwait on Wednesday, aiming to bolster bilateral relations. Leading the delegations were Aseem R. Mahajan, Joint Secretary (Gulf) of India's Ministry of External Affairs, and Ambassador Sameeh Essa Johar Hayat, Assistant Foreign Minister for Asia Affairs of Kuwait.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with their traditionally strong bilateral ties and agreed to enhance cooperation in several areas, such as political ties, trade, investment, education, and technology. The discussions included high-level exchanges, health, culture, and people-to-people contacts. Aseem R. Mahajan also met with Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Kuwait's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, to explore new initiatives for deepening the partnership.

On Tuesday, Mahajan held discussions with Ziyad Al-Najem, Undersecretary of Kuwait's Ministry of Commerce, focusing on strengthening bilateral trade and investment, diversifying the trade basket, and advancing cooperation in energy, technology, and fintech. Further talks with Tahani Rashid Al-Naseer, Assistant Foreign Minister (Legal) of Kuwait's MOFA, addressed the early finalisation of several agreements and MoUs under negotiation.

The successful consultations, which follow a previous meeting in May 2023, are expected to lend further momentum to India-Kuwait relations. Both nations expressed satisfaction with the outcomes and agreed to hold the next round of consultations in New Delhi at a mutually convenient time.

(With inputs from agencies.)