Hours After Pakistan Pact, Kuwait Turns To India For Defence Dialogue
New Delhi: Hours after signing a defence cooperation agreement with Pakistan, Kuwait on friday held its inaugural Joint Defence Committee (JDC) meeting with India in New Delhi.
The first meeting of the JDC marks an important step towards operationalising the objectives outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kuwait in December 2024. That visit had upgraded the relationship to a Strategic Partnership.
The meeting was co-chaired by Joint Secretary Amitabh Prasad and Brigadier General Raed Alsakran, who led a five-member Kuwaiti delegation. The Indian delegation comprised representatives from the three Services, Department of Defence Production, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Armed Forces Medical Services and Ministry of External Affairs.
Ahead of the JDC meeting, Brigadier General Alsakran laid a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi and paid homage to the fallen heroes.
On the first day of their visit, the Kuwaiti delegation visited DPSU Bhawan, where discussions were held with representatives of the Indian defence industry on potential areas of mutual cooperation. An industry interaction is also scheduled for the second day of the visit.
India and Kuwait enjoy traditionally warm and friendly relations rooted in historical ties, with diplomatic relations established in 1962. Geographic proximity, historical trade links, cultural affinities, and the presence of a large Indian community in Kuwait continue to sustain the multifaceted relationship.
A day earlier on August 27, Pakistan and Kuwait signed the ‘Protocol Agreement-2026’ in Rawalpindi, significantly enhancing the existing military cooperation framework established under the Defence Cooperation Agreement-2023.
Under the pact, Pakistan’s armed forces will extend assistance to Kuwait in training, capacity building, border management and other mutually agreed areas of defence collaboration.
