Kuwait City [Kuwait], December 21 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the opening ceremony of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup in Kuwait as the 'Guest of Honour' upon the invitation of Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Amir of Kuwait.
The Prime Minister joined the Amir, the Crown Prince, and the Prime Minister of Kuwait in witnessing the grand opening ceremony.
The event also provided an opportunity for an informal interaction of the Prime Minister with the leadership of Kuwait.
"A grand start to the Arabian Gulf Cup - football tournament in Kuwait! PM @narendramodi joined HH the Amir, Crown Prince & PM of Kuwait as 'Guest of Honour' at the opening ceremony of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup in Kuwait. PM joined the Kuwaiti leadership in celebration of sports & longstanding friendship between India & Kuwait," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.
https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1870528645653319859
PM Modi also took to social media platform X, and said this grand sporting event celebrates the spirit of football in the region.
"Attended the opening ceremony of the Arabian Gulf Cup. This grand sporting event celebrates the spirit of football in the region. I thank His Highness Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Amir of Kuwait, for inviting me to witness this event," he stated.
https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1870528645653319859
Kuwait is hosting the biennial Arabian Gulf Cup with participation from eight countries, including GCC nations, Iraq, and Yemen.
This football tournament is one of the most prominent sporting events in the region. Kuwait has won the tournament most times among the participating countries. Prime Minister conveyed his best wishes to all the participating countries.
PM Modi is on a 2-day visit to Kuwait at the invitation of Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Amir of the State of Kuwait. This is the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Kuwait in 43 years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kuwait to a warm welcome on Saturday.
On his arrival, PM Modi was received by Kuwait's first Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence and Interior, Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, along with the country's Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, and several other dignitaries.
He also addressed the Indian diaspora at the 'Hala Modi' event in Kuwait.
"Today, India is the fifth-largest economy in the world. We lead the world in fintech and have the third-largest startup ecosystem globally. India is also the second-largest mobile manufacturing country in the world," PM Modi said.
"The India of the future will be the hub of the development of the world... it will be the growth engine of the world," he added.