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Kuwait is hosting the biennial Arabian Gulf Cup with participation from eight countries, including GCC nations, Iraq, and Yemen
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup opening ceremony in Kuwait on Saturday. During the event, he met the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, as both leaders watched the biennial football tournament.
PM Modi, who is on a two-day historic visit to Kuwait, was the chief guest at the inauguration. He joined the Emir, the Crown Prince, and the Prime Minister of Kuwait in witnessing the grand opening ceremony.
سعدت بلقاء صاحب السمو أمير دولة الكويت الشيخ مشعل الأحمد الجابر الصباح خلال حفل افتتاح بطولة كأس الخليج العربي. pic.twitter.com/Cxb8wOS3gf— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 21, 2024
The Prime Minister took to X and shared a photo of him shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with the gulf nation’s Emir and wrote a post in Arabic, which roughly translated to: “I was pleased to meet His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, during the opening ceremony of the Arabian Gulf Cup.”
According to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs, PM Modi attended the event as the ‘Guest of Honour’ of Kuwait’s Emir, which allowed for informal interactions with the country’s leadership.
The Prime Minister, who became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Kuwait in 43 years, also extended his best wishes to all the countries taking part in the football tournament, one of the region’s most prominent sporting events, featuring eight participating nations, including GCC countries, Iraq, and Yemen.
Kuwait was scheduled to play Oman in the opening game of the eight-team tournament.
Kuwait is hosting the biennial Arabian Gulf Cup with participation from eight countries, including GCC nations, Iraq, and Yemen.
The tournament is one of the most prominent sporting events in the region. Kuwait has won the tournament most times among the participating countries.
Earlier, addressing a large gathering of the Indian community at a special event ‘Hala Modi’ at the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Indoor Sports Complex in the city, Modi praised the diaspora’s contribution to global growth and said that India has the potential to become the “skill capital of the world”.
“Every year, hundreds of Indians come to Kuwait. You have added an Indian touch to Kuwaiti society. You have filled the canvas of Kuwait with the colors of Indian skills. You have mixed the essence of India’s talent, technology, and tradition in Kuwait,” Modi said.
The prime minister expressed happiness about the presence of Indians from diverse corners of the country in the Gulf nation and called it a “mini-Hindustan.” Modi is set to meet the Emir, the Crown Prince, and the Prime Minister of Kuwait on Sunday.
(With PTI inputs)
