Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing visit to the United States marked a significant boost to India’s bilateral relations with Kuwait, Nepal, and Palestine, as he held a series of high-level meetings in New York on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). These engagements are expected to reinforce India’s global partnerships, especially in the realms of energy, regional stability, and development cooperation.
Prime Minister Modi’s meetings with the Crown Prince of Kuwait, the Prime Minister of Nepal, and the President of Palestine on Sunday set the stage for closer cooperation ahead of the much-anticipated ‘UN Summit of the Future,’ where world leaders will gather to discuss global challenges.
PM Modi’s First Meeting with Kuwait’s Crown Prince
In a historic first, Prime Minister Modi met with Kuwait’s Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, to discuss the future of Indo-Kuwaiti relations. The two leaders underscored their commitment to strengthening economic and political ties, highlighting the vital role each country plays in meeting the other’s food and energy security needs.
According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both leaders expressed satisfaction over the strong historical ties between the two nations. India and Kuwait, who have shared a relationship rooted in trade and cooperation for decades, are now poised to deepen that connection across multiple sectors. “This meeting between Prime Minister Modi and the Kuwaiti Crown Prince is expected to inject fresh momentum into bilateral ties,” noted the MEA. The discussions reflected on the well-being of the Indian community in Kuwait, which remains the largest diaspora in the country. Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude to the Crown Prince for the continued support and welfare of Indian nationals in Kuwait, a gesture that further solidified people-to-people relations.
India and Kuwait’s relationship, bolstered by their shared history—where the Indian Rupee was legal tender in Kuwait until 1961—has long been anchored in robust trade partnerships. Modi’s meeting builds upon the earlier discussions held by India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar with Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya earlier this month, focused on enhancing cooperation across energy, trade, and investment.
Prime Minister Modi’s Bilateral Talks with Nepal
Prime Minister Modi also held a crucial meeting with Nepal’s Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, where the two leaders reviewed the longstanding and multifaceted relationship between India and Nepal. Modi emphasized the deep historical and geographical bonds that connect the two countries, recalling that Nepal shares borders with five Indian states—Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand—underscoring the nations’ close physical and cultural proximity. The talks between the two leaders spanned various sectors, with both Modi and Oli expressing satisfaction over progress in development partnerships, hydropower collaboration, and efforts to enhance connectivity. They reviewed projects aimed at improving transportation links, energy cooperation, and digital communication infrastructure. The strong development ties were highlighted as key under India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, which places Nepal as a top priority for engagement.
A highlight of their conversation was Nepal’s recent achievement of becoming the 101st country to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA), a global effort championed by India. Prime Minister Modi praised Nepal’s leadership on this front and emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in tackling climate change.
PM Modi Meets President of Palestine
In another significant bilateral meeting, Prime Minister Modi engaged in a constructive dialogue with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Their discussions were dominated by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the deteriorating security situation in the region. Modi reaffirmed India’s steadfast support for the Palestinian people, extending humanitarian assistance and calling for peace in the region. Reiterating India’s principled stand on the Israel-Palestine conflict, Modi emphasized the importance of a two-state solution for ensuring long-term stability and peace in the Middle East. He called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and a return to dialogue and diplomacy. Modi reminded President Abbas that India has consistently supported Palestine at the United Nations and that India was one of the first countries to recognize the State of Palestine. The leaders also discussed India’s ongoing assistance to Palestine, particularly in education, healthcare, and other capacity-building sectors, where India’s contributions continue to foster development in the Palestinian territories.
Prime Minister Modi’s meetings in New York have reinforced India’s global partnerships, with each discussion reflecting India’s diplomatic priorities. The meeting with Kuwait builds on 60 years of formal diplomatic ties, marking a new era of cooperation in energy and trade. Meanwhile, the talks with Nepal reaffirm the strength of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, while Modi’s engagement with Palestine reflects India’s commitment to peace and humanitarian support in conflict-ridden regions. As the Indian leader prepares to participate in the UN Summit of the Future, his engagements with these key partners signal India’s active role in shaping a more interconnected and cooperative global future.
