Image credits: indianexpress.com/gulfnews.com
On Wednesday morning, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar left on a three days official visit to Kuwait via Doha (Qatar) transit. The visit is to strengthen bilateral ties and thank both of these countries for their support during the second COVID-19 crisis in the country. While Kuwait had supplied oxygen cylinders and other medical equipment to India, Qatar had proved helpful by being a logistic and transportation hub to western India.
Jaishankar will be carrying PM Modi’s personal letter for Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah of Kuwait. He will be holding a meeting with his counterpart Sheikh Ahmed Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah to deepen the trade and energy ties of India and Kuwait.
On April 27, Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar had called PM Modi to express his solidarity with India in its second COVID-19 crisis.
No meeting is scheduled as of now with the Qatar leadership.
Kuwait had supplied 5,267 oxygen cylinders, 450 metric tonnes of liquid medical oxygen, 66 oxygen concentrators, 11 ventilators to India. It had also supplied other items like drugs, oximeters, mask and gloves to India in the wake of the crisis. The medical support from Kuwait reached India between May 4 to June 8, 2021.
Qatar, on the other hand, maintained the flow of passenger flights under the air bubble arrangement since August 2020. Qatar is the largest supplier of LNG and LPG to India. Once the pandemic settles down, we may see Doha becoming a new transit hub for Indians.