Jaishankar in Kuwait to strengthen bi-lateral further, will hand over personal letter of PM Modi to Emir

New Delhi, June 08: External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar left on a three day visit to Kuwait via Qatar on Wednesday morning.

Jaishankar during his three day visit would further strengthen bilateral ties and would thank the two countries for the support extended to India during the second wave of the pandemic. Both Qatar and Kuwait were main logistics hubs for India in the supply of liquid medical oxygen.

In Kuwait, Jaishankar would meet with his counterpart Sheikh Mohammad Naseer al-Mohammad al-Sabah and discuss a range of issues like investment, trade, energy and information technology. He would also hand over a letter written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah.

Kuwait had supplied 5,267 oxygen cylinders to India, 55 oxygen concentrators, 450 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen and 11 ventilators apart from drugs, oximeters, masks and gloves.

Qatar on the other hand was a major logistic hub and ensured the flow of passenger flights under the air bubble arrangement that has been in place since August 2020. The Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim Bn Hamad Al Thani had on April 27 dialled PM Modi and expressed solidarity with India apart from assuring all support.

In April Qatar also announced that Qatar Airways would carry essential humanitarian medical cargo from around the world to India. In May Qatar Airways sent three cargo flights to India-Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru carrying 300 MT of medical supplies from across the world. The supplies also included oxygen concentrators, PPEs and ventilators.

Although Jaishankar would transit through Doha, there has been no meeting as of now scheduled at the airport with the Qatari leadership.