Kuwait City, Aug 18 (IANS): In an official visit to Kuwait on Sunday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah and Prime Minister Sheikh Muhammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah.

Sharing details of the meeting, Jaishanakar said in a post on X, "Honoured to call on His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, the Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait. Conveyed the greetings of President and Prime Minister.

"India and Kuwait share centuries-old bonds of goodwill and friendship. Our contemporary partnership is expanding steadily. Thank him for his guidance and insights on taking our ties to a higher level."

The EAM also informed about the meeting with the Kuwaiti Prime Minister, saying, "Pleased to call on His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of Kuwait. Conveyed the greetings of PM Narendra Modi.

"Appreciated his perspectives on the deepening of India-Kuwait ties. Valued his views in regard to further economic cooperation."

Jaishankar's one-day visit enabled both sides to review various aspects of India-Kuwait bilateral relations, including political, trade, investment, energy, security, cultural, consular, and people-to-people contacts.

Earlier, Jaishankar received a warm welcome from Kuwait's Foreign Minister, Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, upon his arrival there on Sunday.

In 2021, the EAM marked an official visit to Kuwait from June 9-11 during which he called on its Prime Minister and delivered a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Amir of Kuwait.

India and Kuwait share historically friendly relations, rooted in deep trade ties.

Before 1961, the Indian rupee was the legal tender in Kuwait. Until the discovery and development of oil, Kuwait's economy largely depended on maritime activities such as shipbuilding, pearl diving, fishing, and voyages to India, where goods like dates, Arabian horses, and pearls were traded for wood, cereals, clothes, and spices.