Modi reaches out to Kuwaiti Amir after airport attack, calls for de-escalation

PM MOdi condemned attacks targeting Kuwaiti territory and airspace, including an assault on its airport that killed an Indian national and injured several others

Published on: Jun 9, 2026, 21:41:53 IST

By Rezaul H Laskar, NEW DELHI

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India on Tuesday pressed for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the West Asia conflict as Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialled Kuwaiti Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah to review bilateral relations and the situation in the region.

PM Modi dialled Kuwaiti Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah to review bilateral relations and the situation in the region (FILE PHOTO)

Modi’s phone conversation with the Kuwaiti ruler was part of India’s outreach to key players in West Asia amid the crisis triggered by Israel and the US’s war against Iran. Besides being home to one million Indians, Kuwait is also a key energy supplier for India.

While exchanging views on the evolving security situation in West Asia, Modi expressed “deep concern” at the escalation of tensions and reiterated India’s “strong condemnation of attacks on Kuwait’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, according to a readout from the Indian government.

Modi reiterated India’s call for “de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy for earliest restoration of peace and stability”. He also thanked the Amir for his personal attention to the well-being and safety of Kuwait’s large Indian community.

Kuwait’s state-run Kuna news agency reported that the Amir received a phone call from Modi, during which bilateral relations, developments in the regional and international arenas, and the current situation in West Asia were reviewed. The report said the PM condemned attacks targeting Kuwaiti territory and airspace, including an assault on Kuwait international airport that killed an Indian national and injured several others.

Modi affirmed India’s solidarity with Kuwait and reiterated support for the measures the country has taken to safeguard its sovereignty and security, the report said. The Amir expressed his condolences at the death of the Indian national and expressed deep appreciation for India’s “supportive stance” toward Kuwait.

India has consistently been among Kuwait’s top trading partners. Total two-way trade during 2024-2025 amounted to $10.22 billion. During this period, Kuwait accounted for 3.5% of India’s total energy supplies and ranked as India’s sixth-largest crude supplier and fifth-largest LPG source.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rezaul H Laskar
Rezaul Hasan Laskar is Foreign Editor with the Hindustan Times, which he joined in 2015. He began as a journalist in his hometown of Shillong in northeast India and has worked in newspapers and wire services over the years. He moved to New Delhi in 1997 and initially focused on defence, national security, Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast, while also working of foreign policy and international relations. He has been part of the media delegation accompanying PMs on foreign visits and has reported from destinations ranging from Tibet to Ukraine. Between 2007 and 2013, he was the Press Trust of India correspondent in Pakistan, one of only two Indian journalists allowed to report from the country. He extensively covered Pakistan’s domestic politics and the life of the common people, as well as the fallout of the 2008 Mumbai attacks on India-Pakistan relations and the subsequent trial in Pakistan of the suspects involved in the attack. As part of his reportage in Pakistan, he travelled the breadth of the country, from the Swat Valley to Balochistan. Reza’s first gig in journalism was writing a weekly music column, and music – especially classic rock – remains a keen interest. He is also a movie buff and a keen photographer.Read More

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