Kuwait, India to strengthen cooperation in many sectors Kuwait keen on protecting expats rights: Sabeeh
Kuwait and India yesterday agreed to strengthen cooperation and partnerships in various fields following the ministerial level meetings of the Kuwait-India Joint Commission. The agreements, seeking to strengthen bilateral cooperation, covered various sectors such as investment, science and technology, education, labor, culture, and oil and gas.
Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh chaired the third meeting of Kuwait-India joint ministerial commission for trade, commerce, economy and science and technology. In his address, the minister underlined the importance of bolstering cooperation and partnerships between Kuwait and India, reflecting the visions of the leaders of both countries. The minister exchanged documents with India’s Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar at the end of the meeting.
Akbar paid a two-day visit to Kuwait heading a high-level delegation to attend the commission meeting. The minister also visited Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Khaled Al-Jarallah and Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and Minister of State for Economic Affairs Hind Al-Sabeeh yesterday and held discussions. In his talks with Jarallah, Akbar discussed means of boosting bilateral cooperation in addition to other international topics of mutual interest.
Assistant Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs Amal Al-Hamad, Kuwait Ambassador to India Fahad Ahmad Al-Awadhi and the Ministry of Finance’s Assistant Undersecretary for Economic Affairs Nabeel Al-Abduljalil were also present during the meeting. On the sidelines of the meeting, India’s engineering conglomerate Larsen and Toubro (L&T) bagged a major pipeline contract yesterday from Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) worth Indian rupees 1,700 crore contract.
“L&T’s hydrocarbon division has bagged a major pipeline contract with a value close to Rs 1,700 crore from KOC for Engineering, Procurement and Construction of a new 48” Crude Transit Line (TL-5) from North Kuwait to Ahmadi,” the company said in a statement yesterday. The project is scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of 2020.
Expats’ rights
Meanwhile, Sabeeh reiterated Kuwait’s keenness in protecting the rights of expats in general and overcoming all obstacles facing them. Sabeeh, also Minister of State for Economic Affairs, made her remarks in press statement after meeting Akbar.
Kuwait eyes closer cooperation with India in various vital fields, particularly labor, she said, adding the two countries are currently studying ways to recruit Indian labor in the country via electronic connectivity.
Using such a modern method would contribute in bringing more of qualified and productive labor to the Kuwaiti market, said Sabeeh. Currently, there are some 900,000 Indian workers in Kuwait, she mentioned, adding that all these workers are protected under Kuwaiti laws.