This article covers the political relationship between India and Kuwait: its historical background, the establishment of diplomatic relations, the Strategic Partnership, visits and telephone conversations between leaders and ministers, bilateral agreements and the dialogue mechanisms between the two governments. It is based on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief dated 03 September 2026.

According to the MEA brief of September 2026, India and Kuwait "enjoy longstanding friendly relations bolstered by historical and people to people links". Until the discovery and development of oil, Kuwait's economy revolved around maritime activities, including ship building, pearl diving, fishing and voyages to India on wooden dhows. These carried dates, Arabian horses and pearls, which were traded for wood, cereals, clothes and spices.

Until 1961, the Indian Rupee was legal tender in Kuwait.

Diplomatic relations and Strategic Partnership

India was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Kuwait following its independence from British Protectorate in 1961. The relationship was upgraded to a "Strategic Partnership" during the visit of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to Kuwait in December 2024.

Visits by heads of state and government

Visits from India to Kuwait at this level were made by Vice President Dr. Zakir Husain (1965), Prime Minister Smt Indira Gandhi (1981) and Vice President Shri Hamid Ansari (2009). Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Kuwait on 21-22 December 2024.

From Kuwait, the brief lists visits to India by:

  • Crown Prince and Prime Minister H.H. Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah (1964)
  • Amir H.H. Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (1980), and again in 1983 for the NAM Summit
  • Amir H.H. Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (2006)
  • Prime Minister H.H. Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah (2013)
  • Amir H.H. Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jabar Al Sabah, on a private visit (2017)

Ministerial visits

Ministerial visits from India to Kuwait in recent years include:

  • External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar on 08 July 2026, 18 August 2024 and in June 2021
  • Minister of State of External Affairs Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh on 13 June 2024
  • Minister of Oil and Natural Gas Shri Hardeep Singh Puri on 17 December 2023, to convey condolences on the demise of the late Amir H.H. Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
  • Minister of State of External Affairs Shri V. Muraleedharan in August 2023 and September 2019
  • Minister of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Steel Shri Dharmendra Pradhan in October 2020
  • EAM Smt. Sushma Swaraj in October 2018

An all-Party delegation from India led by MP Shri Baijayant Jay Panda visited Kuwait on 26-27 May 2025 in the wake of Op Sindoor.

Ministerial visits from Kuwait to India include those of H.E. Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, Minister of Foreign Affairs (December 2024), Dr. Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, Minister of Foreign Affairs (March 2021), and H.E. Hend Barak Al Sabeeh, Minister of Labour and Social Welfare (October 2018).

Telephone conversations in 2026

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi held a telecon with Kuwait's Amir, H.H. Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah, on 9 June 2026. He also held telecons with the Crown Prince, H.H. Sheikh Sabah AlKhaled Al-Sabah Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, on 3 and 18 March 2026, to discuss regional developments in the wake of the US-Iran conflict. EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar held telecons with Kuwait's Foreign Minister, H.E. Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, on 28 February 2026 and 13 April 2026.

Agreements and MoUs

As of the brief, around 30 bilateral agreements and MoUs have been signed in diverse areas. Those the brief names are:

  • The MoU on Cooperation in the field of Defence, the Cultural Exchange Programme for the years 2025-2029 and the Executive Programme for Cooperation in the Field of Sports (2025-2028), all signed during the Prime Minister's visit to Kuwait in December 2024
  • An MoU between the Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) of India and Kuwait, signed on 08 July 2025

Kuwait also signed the Treaty of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in Dec 2024 and ratified the agreement in May 2025.

Dialogue mechanisms

During the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister's visit to India in December 2024, the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a Joint Committee for Cooperation (JCC) at the level of Foreign Ministers. The brief uses both "Joint Commission for Cooperation" and "Joint Committee for Cooperation" for this body.

Under the JCC, 7 new Joint Working Groups (JWGs) were set up, in addition to the existing 3 JWGs on Health, Manpower and Hydrocarbons. The new groups cover:

  • trade
  • investments
  • education and skill development
  • science and technology
  • security and counter-terrorism
  • agriculture and food-security
  • culture

Eight rounds of Foreign Office Consultations (FOCs) have been held so far. The seventh was held in New Delhi on 26 August 2025, and the eighth in Kuwait on 08 September 2026, co-chaired by Shri Aseem R. Mahajan, Additional Secretary, and Mr. Nawaf Abdullatif Sulaiman Al-Ahmed, Assistant Foreign Minister for Asia Affairs.