Kuwait City, Dec 22 (NationPress) In a notable display of camaraderie, Kuwait's Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah personally came to bid farewell to PM Modi at the airport on Sunday evening, marking the conclusion of his significant two-day visit to the West Asian nation as he returned to India.

"Thank you Kuwait! This visit was historic and will greatly enhance our bilateral relations. I thank the Government and people of Kuwait for their warmth. I also thank the PM of Kuwait for the special gesture of coming to the airport for the see-off," PM Modi posted on X just before his departure.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi engaged in a series of meetings with the country's Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, and held bilateral discussions with the country's PM Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

"Held fruitful discussions with HH Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, the Prime Minister of Kuwait. Our talks covered the full range of India-Kuwait relations, including trade, commerce, people-to-people ties and more. Key MoUs and Agreements were also exchanged, which will add strength to bilateral relations," said PM Modi.

According to the Prime Minister's Office, the two leaders discussed a roadmap to enhance the strategic partnership in areas including political, trade, investment, energy, defence, security, health, education, technology, cultural, and people-to-people ties.

"They emphasised on deepening economic cooperation between the two countries. The Prime Minister invited a delegation comprising the Kuwaiti Investment Authority and other stakeholders to visit India to explore new opportunities in the fields of energy, defence, medical devices, pharma, food parks, among others. The leaders also discussed cooperation in traditional medicine and agricultural research," read a statement issued by the PMO after the meeting.

"They welcomed the recent signing of the Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) under which new Joint Working Groups in the areas of trade, investment, education, technology, agriculture, security and culture have been established in addition to the existing JWGs on Health, Manpower and Hydrocarbons," it added.

Both leaders also witnessed the signing and exchange of bilateral agreements and MoUs after the talks. It included an MoU on defence cooperation, a cultural exchange programme, an executive programme on cooperation in the field of sports, and the framework agreement on Kuwait joining the International Solar Alliance.

In what was the first meeting between the two leaders, Prime Minister Modi met the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at the Bayan Palace and reaffirmed their commitment to expand and deepen bilateral cooperation while agreeing to elevate the bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership.

The leaders reminisced about the strong historical and friendly ties between the two nations, with PM Modi expressing gratitude to the Amir for ensuring the well-being of over one million strong Indian community in Kuwait. The Amir also acknowledged the contributions of the large and vibrant Indian community to Kuwait’s development.

"Excellent meeting with His Highness the Emir of the State of Kuwait Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. We discussed cooperation in key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, IT, fintech, infrastructure and security. In line with the close relations between our two countries, we have elevated our partnership to a strategic level and I am optimistic that our friendship will flourish further in the future," the Prime Minister stated.

The PM appreciated the new initiatives being undertaken by Kuwait to fulfill its Vision 2035 and congratulated the Amir for successfully hosting the GCC Summit earlier this month. In response, the Amir expressed gratitude for India's role as a valued partner in Kuwait and the Gulf region and looked forward to India's greater contribution towards realizing Kuwait's Vision 2035.

The Amir of Kuwait also awarded Prime Minister Modi 'The Order of Mubarak Al-Kabeer', the highest national honor of Kuwait.

PM Modi dedicated the award to the long-standing friendship between India and Kuwait, to the Indian community in Kuwait, and to the 1.4 billion people of India.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the conferment of the award - established in 1974 and awarded only to select global leaders - during the historic visit of a Prime Minister of India to Kuwait after 43 years added a "special meaning" to the occasion.

PM Modi also met with Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, the Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait. Both leaders had previously met on the sidelines of the UNGA session in September of this year.

"Prime Minister conveyed that India attaches utmost importance to its bilateral relations with Kuwait. The leaders acknowledged that bilateral relations were progressing well and welcomed their elevation to a Strategic Partnership. They emphasized on close coordination between both sides in the UN and other multilateral fora. The Prime Minister expressed confidence that India-GCC relations will further strengthen under the Presidency of Kuwait," said PM Modi.