The prime minister, Narendra Modi, is in Kuwait Saturday for an official two-day visit. In the two days, the prime minister would hold bilateral talks with the leadership of the Gulf nation and the Indian diaspora.
Invited by Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of Kuwait, it is the first visit to the country since Indira Gandhi visited there in 1981.
Indian officials said strengthening defense and security cooperation would be at the top of the agenda during the visit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets 101-year-old Ex-IFS officer Mangal Sain Handa in Kuwait City. Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Mangal Sain Handa, a retired Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer who has been living in Kuwait. His granddaughter Shreya Juneja had requested the prime minister to meet her 101-year-old grandfather.
#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets 101-year-old Ex-IFS officer Mangal Sain Handa in Kuwait City.
PM Modi is on a 2-day visit to Kuwait at the invitation of Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Amir of the State of Kuwait. This is the first visit of an Indian… pic.twitter.com/T2qpgJm422
— ANI (@ANI) December 21, 2024
Ms Juneja wrote, “Humble request to Hon’ble PM @narendramodi to meet my 101-year-old Nanaji, ex-IFS officer, in Kuwait during tmrw’s interaction with the Indian Diaspora. Nana @MangalSainHanda is a great admirer of yours. Details have been emailed to your office.”
Absolutely! I look forward to meeting @MangalSainHanda Ji in Kuwait today. https://t.co/xswtQ0tfSY
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 21, 2024
To everyone’s surprise, Mr Modi gave a positive response and said he was looking forward to meeting him in Kuwait. “Absolutely! I look forward to meeting @MangalSainHanda Ji in Kuwait today”, he replied to Juneja on X.
Absolutely! I look forward to meeting @MangalSainHanda Ji in Kuwait today. https://t.co/xswtQ0tfSY
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 21, 2024
His son Dilip Handa told news agency ANI, “This is an experience of a lifetime. PM Modi said he especially came here to meet him (his father). We are grateful to Prime Minister Modi.”
About one million Indians are living in Kuwait as expatriates, the largest diaspora community in the country and Mr Modi interacted with the Indian community there.
His visit to Kuwait is important in terms of the bilateral relationship between the two countries, particularly because this is the first in 43 years by an Indian premier. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had visited Kuwait last in 1981.
He will be in Kuwait for two days, 21-22nd December 2024 and his visit was undertaken at the invitation of the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
