Kuwait hedges security bet, holds defence meet with India

New Delhi: Oil-rich Kuwait, shortly after inking a defence pact with Pakistan, held its maiden defence committee meeting with India looking to forge defence industry links, as part of its hedging strategy.

The Gulf nation is seeking to have diversified military procurement options through its ties with India amid efforts by countries in the region to seek a US plus one model to strengthen their security architecture amid the ongoing geopolitical volatility. At the inaugural meeting of the India-Kuwait Joint Defence Committee (JDC) in New Delhi last Friday, both countries agreed to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation across a wide range of areas, including training, military exercises, military medicine, staff talks, defence industry, and Research & Development (R&D), an official said.

The first meeting of the JDC marked an important step towards operationalising the objectives outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation between India and Kuwait, signed during the visit of Prime Minister of India to Kuwait in December 2024, the official said.


The meeting was co-chaired by joint secretary Amitabh Prasad and Brigadier General Raed Alsakran of the five-member Kuwaiti delegation. The Indian delegation comprised representatives from Department of Defence Production, DRDO, Armed Forces Medical Services, and Ministry of External Affairs. The Kuwaiti delegation also held talks with defence industry representatives from India on potential areas of mutual cooperation, said the official.

Amid the rapidly unfolding geopolitical developments, New Delhi would need to move fast to explore and build on defence industry partnership with Kuwait, said an expert on India-Kuwait relations. The India-Kuwait relationship was upgraded to a strategic partnership during visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kuwait in December 2024. Geographical proximity, historical trade links, cultural affinities, and the presence of a large Indian diaspora in Kuwait continue to sustain and nurture the longstanding and multifaceted ties between the two countries.