Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday declared that India is destined to become the ”growth engine” of the world in the coming decades.

Addressing the Indian community in Kuwait, he said India will become the global hub of green energy, pharma, automobile and semiconductor in the years to come.

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Mr Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Kuwait, said, ”major global economic centres will also be in India…we firmly believe that the whole world is a family.”

The People of India, the PM said, are committed to making the country a developed nation by 2047. India can meet the global demand of skilled manpower, given the size of its young population, he added.

Hailing the Indian-Kuwait ties, he said the two countries have always stood by each other. He also hailed the Kuwaiti leadership for ensuring the safety and welfare of the large Indian community in the Gulf country.

Earlier, the PM arrived in Kuwait on a historic two-day visit, which is expected to add a new dimension to ties between India and the Gulf nation.

”We deeply value the historical connection with Kuwait that has been nurtured over generations. We are not just strong trade and energy partners, but also have shared interest in peace, security, stability and prosperity in the West Asia region,” said Mr Modi, who was received at the airport by senior Kuwaiti ministers and officials.

This is the first visit by an Indian PM to Kuwait and comes amid a volatile situation in West Asia, due to the ongoing conflict and the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria.

Mr Modi said he looks forward to his meetings with the Amir, the Crown Prince and the PM of Kuwait. It would be an opportunity to chalk out a roadmap for a futuristic partnership for the benefit of the two people and the region, he added.

”I express my gratitude to the leadership of Kuwait for the special gesture of inviting me to the inauguration ceremony of the Arabian Gulf Cup, a premier sporting event in the Gulf region. I look forward to being a part of this celebration of athletic excellence and regional unity,” the PM added.

He expressed confidence that the visit will further strengthen and reinforce the special ties and bonds of friendship between the people of India and Kuwait.

Shortly after his arrival, he visited the Gulf Spic Labour Camp and met Indian workers there. He also shared snacks and beverages with them.

At an Indian community reception, the PM made it a point to meet 101-year-old Mangal Sain Handa, a former Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, who now resides in Kuwait and had served in Kuwait, United Kingdom, Iraq, China, Argentina, and Cambodia before retiring about four decades ago. He not only exchanged greetings with Mr Handa but also posed for photos with his family.

“Delighted to have met Shri Mangal Sain Handa Ji in Kuwait this afternoon. I admire his contribution to India and his passion for India’s development,” the PM posted on X.

On Friday, Handa’s granddaughter, Shreya Juneja, had posted a message for PM Modi, requesting him to meet her grandfather during his visit to Kuwait.

Mr Modi also received copies of Ramayana and Mahabharata translated in Arabic language by Abdullah Baron and published by Abdullateef Alnesef.