India and Kuwait have agreed to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation across several areas, including military training, joint exercises, military medicine, staff talks, defence industry and research and development. The agreement was reached during the inaugural meeting of the India-Kuwait Joint Defence Committee (JDC), held in New Delhi on Friday. The meeting marks a new step in expanding defence ties between the two countries.
The JDC meeting was co-chaired by Joint Secretary Amitabh Prasad and Brigadier General Raed Alsakran, who led the five-member Kuwaiti delegation. India's delegation included representatives from the three Services, the Department of Defence Production, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Armed Forces Medical Services and the Ministry of External Affairs. Both sides discussed potential areas for greater institutional and operational cooperation.
The Ministry of Defence noted that the meeting was an important step towards implementing the objectives of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kuwait in December 2024. The agreement provides a framework for expanding defence engagement between the two countries. The discussions are expected to support greater interaction between their armed forces and defence establishments.
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Ahead of the JDC meeting, Brigadier General Raed Alsakran laid a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi and paid homage to India's fallen soldiers. The Kuwaiti delegation also visited Defence Public Sector Undertakings Bhawan, where it held discussions with representatives of the Indian defence industry. An additional industry interaction with the Kuwaiti delegation is scheduled as part of its visit.
India and Kuwait have maintained diplomatic relations since 1962, with ties developing across political, economic, cultural and strategic areas. The relationship was elevated to a Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Kuwait in December 2024. Geographic proximity, historical trade links and cultural connections have contributed to the longstanding relationship between the two countries.
The large Indian community in Kuwait has also remained an important part of bilateral relations, with people-to-people connections supporting wider cooperation. The latest JDC meeting provides a formal platform for both sides to expand defence engagement and identify new areas of collaboration. The focus on training, exercises, military medicine, defence production and research could further deepen the strategic partnership between India and Kuwait.
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