ID :
54025
Mon, 04/06/2009 - 07:39
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/54025
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Ansari to travel to Kuwait, first top-level visit in 28 years
New Delhi, Apr 5 (PTI) India will seek enhanced
investments from cash-rich Kuwait, especially in
infrastructure sector, when Vice President M Hamid Ansari
undertakes a visit there from Monday, the first trip by any
top Indian leader to the gulf country in nearly three decades.
Issues related to energy security will be discussed by
Ansari with the leadership of the hydrocarbon-rich country,
which provides 12 percent of India's crude oil imports.
Maritime security for India's strategic interests and
terrorism would also be discussed during the three-day visit.
Ansari will meet Kuwaiti ruler Amir Shiekh Sabah,
Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf besides holding talks with Kuwaiti
Ministers of Defence, Foreign, Oil and Finance. Ansari will
also interact with Kuwaiti industry leaders.
With India looking for foreign investments to the tune
of USD 500 billion over the next few years, Ansari will
discuss ways by which flow of funds from Kuwait can increase
particularly in the times of global economic crisis which is
affecting India too.
"Kuwait has got capital which can be invested," said
N Ravi, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs,
ahead of Ansari's visit, adding that the possibility of
Kuwaiti investment in India particularly in infrastructure
sector will be discussed.
The two sides are also likely to sign two agreements
on cooperation in the field of science and technology, and
educational exchanges.
Nearly 5.8 lakh Indian-origin people are currently
residing in Kuwait, making it the biggest expatriate community
in the Gulf country, which has a population of 3.4 million.
Apart from enhancing bilateral trade and investment
and converting it into a mutually beneficial one, the two
sides are looking to explore other areas of cooperation such
as information and communication technology, biotechnology
and alternate energy sources, Ravi said.
India is among Kuwait's top 10 trading partners with
the bilateral trade touching USD 8.4 billion in 2007-08.
Energy security is a crucial element of India's close
and friendly ties with Kuwait which is part of the extended
neighbourhood, Ravi said.
On the issue of maritime security, he said, India
wants to ensure that the energy imports from the Gulf continue
uninterrupted.
Terrorism is also an important issue and will be
discussed by India, apart from other matters of mutual and
regional interest, Ravi said.
The visit by Ansari, who will be accompanied by
Minister of State for Statistics and Programmes Implementation
G K Vasan and number of senior officials, comes 28 years after
the then prime minister Indira Gandhi's trip to the gulf
country. The Amir of Kuwait had visited India in 2006.
The India-Kuwait Joint Ministerial Commission has met
twice in November 2007 and July 2008. PTI RT
SAK
NNNN
investments from cash-rich Kuwait, especially in
infrastructure sector, when Vice President M Hamid Ansari
undertakes a visit there from Monday, the first trip by any
top Indian leader to the gulf country in nearly three decades.
Issues related to energy security will be discussed by
Ansari with the leadership of the hydrocarbon-rich country,
which provides 12 percent of India's crude oil imports.
Maritime security for India's strategic interests and
terrorism would also be discussed during the three-day visit.
Ansari will meet Kuwaiti ruler Amir Shiekh Sabah,
Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf besides holding talks with Kuwaiti
Ministers of Defence, Foreign, Oil and Finance. Ansari will
also interact with Kuwaiti industry leaders.
With India looking for foreign investments to the tune
of USD 500 billion over the next few years, Ansari will
discuss ways by which flow of funds from Kuwait can increase
particularly in the times of global economic crisis which is
affecting India too.
"Kuwait has got capital which can be invested," said
N Ravi, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs,
ahead of Ansari's visit, adding that the possibility of
Kuwaiti investment in India particularly in infrastructure
sector will be discussed.
The two sides are also likely to sign two agreements
on cooperation in the field of science and technology, and
educational exchanges.
Nearly 5.8 lakh Indian-origin people are currently
residing in Kuwait, making it the biggest expatriate community
in the Gulf country, which has a population of 3.4 million.
Apart from enhancing bilateral trade and investment
and converting it into a mutually beneficial one, the two
sides are looking to explore other areas of cooperation such
as information and communication technology, biotechnology
and alternate energy sources, Ravi said.
India is among Kuwait's top 10 trading partners with
the bilateral trade touching USD 8.4 billion in 2007-08.
Energy security is a crucial element of India's close
and friendly ties with Kuwait which is part of the extended
neighbourhood, Ravi said.
On the issue of maritime security, he said, India
wants to ensure that the energy imports from the Gulf continue
uninterrupted.
Terrorism is also an important issue and will be
discussed by India, apart from other matters of mutual and
regional interest, Ravi said.
The visit by Ansari, who will be accompanied by
Minister of State for Statistics and Programmes Implementation
G K Vasan and number of senior officials, comes 28 years after
the then prime minister Indira Gandhi's trip to the gulf
country. The Amir of Kuwait had visited India in 2006.
The India-Kuwait Joint Ministerial Commission has met
twice in November 2007 and July 2008. PTI RT
SAK
NNNN
