Around 40 Indians are understood to have died and over 50 are injured in a tragic fire incident at a labour housing facility in the Mangaf area of Kuwait on Wednesday, the Ministry of External Affairs said.
Earlier, Kuwait's ambassador to India Meshal Mustafa J Alshemali expressed his condolences and sympathy to the victims of the fire incident, which led to the loss of at least 49 lives.
The Indian ambassador to Kuwait, Adarsh Swaika, called on the Kuwait Deputy Prime Minister, Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, on Wednesday and lauded his expatriate-friendly measures instituted during his tenure and apprised him of developments in the Indian community.
Trade between the two countries has seen a 90 per cent yearly jump and while currently it is skewed towards hydrocarbon exports from Kuwait and exports of mainly food products from India, bilateral trade has the potential for diversification the envoy said.
Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Thursday called on First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Talal Khalid Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah at Kuwait City and discussed the welfare of the Indian community residing in that country.
Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan interacted with the Indian community in Kuwait and said that they continue to be building blocks of New Delhi-Kuwait city relations.