This article covers the economic and people-to-people sides of the India-Kuwait relationship: trade and energy, Kuwaiti investment in India, cooperation during the Covid-19 pandemic, cultural links, Indian schools and the Indian community. It is based on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief dated 03 September 2026, and figures are given for the periods the brief states.

Trade and energy

According to the MEA brief of September 2026, India has consistently been among the top trading partners of Kuwait. Total bilateral trade during FY 2025-26 amounted to USD 9.57 billion, of which Indian exports were USD 1.65 billion. The top five Indian export items were cereals, jewellery, vehicles, electrical equipment and machinery.

During FY 2025-26, Kuwait accounted for about 3.5 % of India's total energy needs. It ranked as India's 6th largest crude supplier and 4th largest LPG source.

Kuwaiti investment in India

The Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), the Public Institution for Social Security (PIFSS) and other finance and business houses of Kuwait have invested in capital markets in India. Kuwaiti investments in India also include Kirby Industries of the Alghanim Group, logistics and warehousing by the Agility group, and the hospitality industry by the Asiya Group.

Cooperation during the Covid-19 pandemic

The brief says India and Kuwait "demonstrated a shared sense of solidarity" during the Covid-19 pandemic. An Indian medical team visited Kuwait in April 2020, and a consignment of 2,00,000 doses of Covishield vaccines was supplied to Kuwait in February 2021.

During the second wave of Covid-19 in India, an air and sea bridge was set up to carry medical supplies from Kuwait to India. Kuwait sent a special aircraft with 282 oxygen cylinders, 60 oxygen concentrators, ventilators and other medical supplies on 04 May 2021. It was followed by the Indian Naval Ships INS Kolkata, INS Kochi, INS Tarkash, INS Tabar and INS Shardul, carrying liquid medical oxygen in ISO tanks, oxygen cylinders, concentrators and other medical supplies.

Over 425 metric tons of liquid medical oxygen, over 12,500 oxygen cylinders, and oxygen concentrators, ventilators and other medical equipment were sent from Kuwait to India during the month and half long operation. The Indian community in Kuwait contributed to these efforts.

The brief states that the relationship "has been anchored in and nurtured by close cultural contacts and people to people linkages". The Indian Embassy organised "Bharat Mela", a cultural festival with cultural performances and food and handicraft stalls, in 2025 and 2026. The 2026 edition featured performances by over 700 artists and attracted more than 50,000 visitors.

Kuwait National Radio started a weekly Hindi radio programme, "Namaste Kuwait", in April 2024, and it was featured in the Prime Minister's Mann Ki Baat episode on 30 June 2024. The Mann Ki Baat episode on 27 October 2024 highlighted the translation of abridged versions of the Ramayana and Mahabharata into Arabic by the Kuwaiti nationals Abdullah Al-Baroun and Abdullateef Al-Nisf.

In 2025 the Padma Shri was conferred for the first time on a Kuwaiti national, Sheikha Shaikha A J Sabah, a member of the royal family, for her efforts in promoting yoga in Kuwait.

Education

There are 25 schools in Kuwait following the CBSE curriculum, with over 50,000 students, mainly Indian nationals. "India Corners" have been set up at the Gulf University of Science and Technology (GUST), Kuwait Technical College, Kuwait College of Science and Technology, the American University of Kuwait (AUK) and the Canadian College of Kuwait.

The Indian community

As of the brief, Indian nationals are the largest expatriate community in Kuwait, numbering 1.05 million of 5.4 million. The brief says the community has made significant contributions to Kuwait in sectors such as healthcare, engineering, architecture, education, business and other professions.

Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award recipients from Kuwait are:

  • Dr. Mariam Chisti in 2004, for her contribution to public health and healthcare
  • The Indian Doctors Forum, Kuwait, in 2013, for community service, healthcare awareness and humanitarian initiatives
  • Shri Rajpal Tyagi in 2019, for his contributions to architecture and community engagement