A dhow that symbolises centuries of India-Kuwait ties
IBPC delegation calls on Kuwait Ambassador to India
S A RIZVI
Bureau Chief, New Delhi
The Times Kuwait
Pointing to a beautifully decorated wooden model of a traditional dhow in his office, Kuwait’s Ambassador to India, H.E. Meshal Al-Shamali, offered a powerful reminder of the enduring ties between India and Kuwait.
The dhow, he told a visiting delegation of Indian business and professional leaders from Kuwait, symbolised the depth, resilience and longevity of relations between the two countries ties that began centuries before the establishment of formal diplomatic relations.
“For centuries, people travelled by dhows to Mumbai and other parts of southern India, enduring hardships and difficult conditions to maintain trade and commercial contacts,” the Ambassador said, recalling the maritime links that connected the two regions and laid the foundations for a relationship that has continued to evolve over generations.
The remarks came during a meeting with a delegation from the India Business and Professional Council (IBPC), which called on Ambassador Al-Shamali to brief him on the Council’s activities and its efforts to promote stronger business, professional and people-to-people ties between India and Kuwait.
The delegation comprised IBPC Honorary Chairman Kaizar T. Shakir, Secretary Suresh KP, Joint Secretary Sunit Arora, and members S K Wadhawan, Ashok Kalra and Asad Khan.
Ambassador Al-Shamali said the relationship between India and Kuwait had successfully withstood the test of time and received a significant new impetus with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kuwait in December 2024 the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in 43 years.
The historic visit elevated bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, while agreements covering areas such as defence, culture and sports opened the way for expanded cooperation in a range of emerging sectors.
The Ambassador pointed to growing opportunities in defence, renewable energy, technology, infrastructure, healthcare, food security and investment, emphasising the importance of translating the renewed political momentum into concrete economic and commercial outcomes.
Expressing satisfaction with the determination on both sides to sustain the momentum generated by the Prime Minister’s visit, Al-Shamali said, “I am glad to say that we are moving in that direction.”
Indian community: A living bridge
The Ambassador also highlighted the pivotal role played by the Indian community in Kuwait, describing it as an important human bridge between the two countries. Nearly one million Indians live in Kuwait, making them the country’s largest expatriate community. The community has a strong presence across key sectors, including healthcare, engineering, construction, education, business and professional services.
Indian doctors, nurses and other medical professionals, he noted, also make up a significant share of Kuwait’s healthcare workforce, underlining the contribution of Indian professionals to the country’s development.
IBPC Honorary Chairman Kaizar T. Shakir said the Indian community had long enjoyed the respect and affection of the Kuwaiti people. “Excellency, we are indebted to the respect and affection that the people of Kuwait have always shown towards Indians. The fact that the Indian expatriate community has crossed one million speaks volumes about the warmth and trust that have characterised our relationship,” Shakir said.
He also pointed to the depth of the historical relationship, noting that India’s commercial connections with the Gulf predated the modern diplomatic era by centuries. Recent archaeological discoveries, he said, had provided further evidence of ancient commercial links between India and the Gulf, with historical contacts tracing back 800 to 900 years or even earlier.
The exchange highlighted how the relationship between India and Kuwait extends well beyond government-to-government ties, encompassing centuries of trade, shared economic interests and enduring people-to-people connections.
The IBPC delegation is currently in India to attend the Global Business Summit, hosted by the Indian Chambers of Commerce as part of its centenary celebrations.
From the traditional dhow that once carried merchants across the Arabian Sea to today’s strategic partnership encompassing technology, investment, healthcare and defence, the story of India-Kuwait relations continues to evolve while remaining firmly anchored in a shared history of commerce, trust and human connections.
