Under Secretary of Ministry of Culture and Information H.E Mr Mazin Al Ansari and Chief Guest of today’s event

Excellencies,

Friends of India in Kuwait,

Friends from media,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Mas'aa al Kheir, Good evening,

       I welcome you all to the Festival of India event in Kuwait. It is special because it is the first such event outside India in the post-pandemic period. This festival is a celebration of the rich cultural heritage of India and a testament to the strong and longstanding relationship between India and Kuwait.

2.    The inaugural event of the Festival of India yesterday at the Salmiya theatre was a huge success with over 700 people attending it. I am sure you will not be disappointed today as we witness the three very unique and different genres of Indian dance and music.

3.    The Qutbi Brothers are renowned for their soulful rendition of Qawwali, a form of devotional music that originated in India. Their music transcends boundaries and brings people together uniting them in the devotion of the almighty. The Hasan Khan and team will be presenting the vibrant Rajasthani Folk, which is a blend of music, dance, and storytelling. It is an expression of the rich cultural heritage of Rajasthan, a state in India that is known for its colorful traditions and vibrant folk culture. Finally, the Anirudh Verma Collective will be performing a fusion of classical and contemporary music,  which I am sure will mesmerize us all.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

4.    India and Kuwait have always shared a deep respect for each other's culture and traditions. Our cultural exchange has not only enriched our cultural ethos and traditions but has also played an important role in strengthening our bilateral relations. Indian films have been very popular in Kuwait traditionally and are still shown on KTV every week. The young Kuwaiti generation identifies and follows Bollywood films and stars a lot. The Oscars awarded recently to the song ‘Naatu Naatu’ from the Indian film RRR for the best original song and to ‘The Elephants Whisperers’ for the best documentary short film speaks of the international popularity and recognition of Indian films, songs and culture. Today, as we celebrate the Festival of India in Kuwait, we are proud to showcase some of the most vibrant and diverse forms of Indian music and dance.

5.    As we delve into the beauty and intricacies of Indian music and dance, let me take a moment to reflect on the historical and cultural ties between India and Kuwait. Our relationship dates back to ancient times when Kuwaiti  used to go to India on wooden dhows carrying dates, Arabian horses and pearls to trade for wood, cereals, clothes and spices. What could be more significant then the fact that India rupess was legal tender in Kuwait till 1961. These age-old ties still continue to feed the current people-to-people contacts be it - cultural, business, trade or other ties.  In recent times, Kuwait has been a key partner for India in the Gulf region. Our strong bilateral ties are evident in our trade, political, and cultural relations. Our people-to-people contacts have also been growing with the presence of a large Indian community in Kuwait. The Indian community has made significant contributions to Kuwait's economic and social development, and we are grateful for the warm hospitality and support extended to them by the Kuwaiti people.

6.    I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude to the leadership of the country His Highness the Amir, His Highness the Crown Prince, His Highness the Prime Minister and the government and people of Kuwait for their patronage in promoting cultural exchanges between India and Kuwait. I would also like to extend my warmest greetings to all the performers and participants who have come all the way from different parts of India to perform in Kuwait. And last but not the least, my special thanks to the Dar-Al-Athar Al Islamiyaah for providing the auditorium today and for all the support in organizing this event.

Thank you.

Embassy of India, Kuwait, organized an ‘Embassy Familiarization Visit’ on the occasion of Teachers’ Day (September 5, 2022). More than 200 Indian students participated in the event. The focus of the event was to make the students aware about the functioning of the Embassy.

During his opening remarks, Ambassador of India to Kuwait, His Excellency Shri Sibi George extended greetings on the occasion of Teachers’ Day which is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, former President of India. Ambassador welcomed the students and teachers to the Embassy and expressed his happiness on the active participation by schools during the celebration of 60th Anniversary of diplomatic relations with Kuwait and also Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations. He highlighted to the students that the endeavor of the Familiarization visit is to introduce to the students a holistic picture of what embassy does and make the students stakeholders in promoting Indian culture and art in Kuwait.

Ambassador made the students aware about the emergence of India as a major power, focusing on the current efforts under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India to transform India into an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. He highlighted the many scientific achievements that India made in recent years like invention of Made in India vaccine for Covid 19 and achievements in the field of space like Mangalyaan and Chandrayaan missions.

He emphasized that India is leading the world to find solution for climate change challenges, for example, Indian initiative to establish International Solar Alliance (ISA) which have over hundred countries as its members. India has also undertaken the largest vaccination drive domestically with over 2 billion doses administered to combat the Covid 19 Pandemic. Ambassador also highlighted the role played by Embassy in conduct of NEET, NATA and JEE examination in Kuwait for the first time in Kuwait which helped hundreds of Indian students during the pandemic period. Ambassador stressed that, Embassy is always a home, away from home for all Indians in Kuwait including for the students.

During the event, a video documentary was presented giving a virtual tour of the Embassy, focusing on the working of the Embassy of India along with glimpses of the beauty of India.

Also, a presentation was given on the topic- ‘Introduction to Civil Service’ by the Second Secretary (Education). It focused on the pattern of the examination, eligibility criteria and requirements to be a Civil Servant.

The event witnessed enthusiastic participation by the students.

After the event, the students undertook a tour of the Embassy premises to see practically the working of the Embassy on ground and also interacted with officers.

For more details about the event, please visit the website and social media handles of the Embassy. 

Kuwait 05 September 2022

HE Sheikh Ahmad Al Nawaf has been appointed as Prime Minister of Kuwait.

A very good friend of India.

Our Chief Guest Your Excellency Brig General Hazza Al Alati, Commander of Kuwait Navy, Captain Ravi Kumar, Excellencies, our friends from Kuwait, our friends from the Media, Distinguished Guests and ladies and gentlemen, Good Evening.

It is a matter of great pleasure for me to welcome you all to this evening reception on board Indian Naval Ship INS TEG. I am happy that this important ship visit to Kuwait is taking place during the year when we celebrate the 60^th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between and Kuwait and when we celebrate Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav, the 75^th year of India’s independence. This important ship visit is reflective of the growing bilateral partnership between India and Kuwait in all sectors, particularly in the field of defence cooperation.

Dear Friends,

India and Kuwait enjoy a very traditional and vibrant relationship. Over the years this engagement has become a long-standing dynamic partnership involving several stakeholders such as government agencies, business establishments, industry groups, universities, science and technology establishments, academicians, scholars, students, innovation and research organizations, and importantly our Indian community with its most vibrant people to people contacts. Every institution in Kuwait, every business and every enterprise here in Kuwait has some positive story of engagement with India to tell, which makes us all proud. Kuwait, which is part of India’s extended neighborhood, today is a key partner in our economic progress, particularly in energy security and healthcare.

Despite the many difficulties and challenges posed by Covid 19 pandemic, our relationship continued to grow in recent years. In fact, our bilateral cooperation in the fight against Covid 19 pandemic further strengthened our partnership. You would recall the dispatch of emergency medical team from India to Kuwait and then supply of Made in India Vaccines to Kuwait. We recall the supply of medical oxygen from Kuwait to India, which made Kuwait the largest supplier of medical oxygen to India. In this context I recall the visit of six Indian Naval Ships to Kuwait last year which further strengthened our bilateral cooperation.

Dear Friends,

Today morning I had a ceremonial visit to INS TEG. This ship has been deployed extensively for numerous missions including for anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and has been providing maritime security in the region. The visit of INS TEG to Kuwait signifies Indian Navy’s commitment to establish cooperative partnership with friendly nations of the Indian ocean region and beyond to resolve maritime challenges together. I am so happy to see the significant achievements India has made in building a very strong Navy, which is contributing immensely in ensuring the safety, security and stability of the Indian ocean and beyond.

I am confident that in coming months we will have more ship visits and more bilateral engagement between our defense forces. Once again I welcome you all.

Thank you.

Ambassador met HE Mr. Abdul Karim Taqi Abdul Karim, DG, Public Authority for Industry (Jun 26) and discussed bilateral trade and investment relations and exchanged views on promoting 3Ts - Trade, Technology and Tourism engagement with Kuwait.