Third Stop, Same Mission: Jaishankar Deepens Gulf Ties in Kuwait

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar concluded his two-day visit to Bahrain on Tuesday and travelled onward to Kuwait , where he called on Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah on Wednesday, continuing his six-nation diplomatic tour across the Gulf, the United States and Europe.

In Bahrain , Jaishankar met Deputy Prime Minister Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa on Tuesday, a day after holding separate meetings with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa . The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors and exchanging views on the regional security situation.

Arriving in Kuwait on Tuesday evening, Jaishankar was received by Deputy Foreign Minister Hamad Suleiman Mashaan Al-Mashaan. On Wednesday, he met Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah , conveyed Prime Minister Modi's greetings , appreciated the Crown Prince's commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation, and exchanged views on regional developments. His Kuwait visit, scheduled from July 7-9 , marks the third leg of his diplomatic tour after Qatar , where he held talks with Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on energy security, trade and investment.

The visit comes amid rapidly evolving geopolitical developments in West Asia following the June 17 agreement that ended the US-Iran conflict , brokered with mediation from Qatar, Oman and Pakistan after weeks of tensions that included Iranian missile and drone strikes on Bahrain . Indirect US-Iran talks are expected to resume in Doha after the funeral rites of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei .

Following Oman , Jaishankar will travel to New York on July 13 to launch India's campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2028-29, before attending the third India-EU Trade and Technology Council meeting in Brussels on July 14-15.