India announces high-level visit of PM

Stressing that Kuwait and India have traditional historical relations, India on Thursday officially announced that His Highness the Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah would visit India on November 7. HH the Prime Minister is visiting India on the invitation of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, said the Indian foreign ministry. "India and Kuwait historically share friendly relations based on close people-to-people contacts, geographic proximity, historical trade links, cultural affinities and growing cooperation in key areas of mutual interest, including interalia energy security, trade and investment, infrastructure development projects, petrochemicals and education which continue to strengthen and broaden this longstanding relationship." The ministry stated that His Highness will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including ministers, senior officials and pioneers of the Kuwaiti industry. "This is the first head of government level visit from Kuwait to India since the post of Crown Prince and Prime Minister was bifurcated in 2003. From our side, the last head of government level visit to Kuwait was in 1981 when the then Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi visited there," the foreign ministry informed. Spelling out the schedule, the foreign ministry stated that during the visit, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber will call on Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice-President Shri Hamid Ansari. "He will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. His other engagements would include meetings with the Ministers of Finance, External Affairs and Commerce and Industry," the ministry stated. Among other engagements, the ministry said that the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber will also attend a business luncheon meeting jointly organized by the three Indian business chambers, FICCI, CII and ASSOCHAM. Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber and his delegation would also be visiting Agra, it added. Terming Kuwait as a major trader partner of India, India said the country has been India's fourth largest crude oil supplier globally with bilateral trade in excess of USD 17 billion in 2012/13. "Both countries are exploring enhanced cooperation in energy and other sectors through mutually beneficial investments in projects, including in oil exploration, refineries, petrochemical complexes and fertilizer plants," it further added. The ministry noted that Indians form the largest expatriate community in Kuwait and their positive contribution in the progress and development of their host country is well recognized. "There are over 700,000 Indian nationals working in Kuwait," it said.