Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday thanked Bahrain's crown prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad for their partnership in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Warm thanks to HRH Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad. India is proud to partner Bahrain in fighting Covid-19. We will continue to strengthen our long-standing civilisational ties," PMO tweeted.
Prior to this, Bahrain's crown prince expressed gratitude to PM Modi for cooperation to secure the delivery of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine.
"HRH the CP and PM Salman bin Hamad: Bahrain thanks Narendra Modi and our friends in India for working with us to secure the delivery of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine. A sign of India's global generosity and the strong partnership enjoyed between our two nations," Court of the Crown Prince tweeted.
India and Bahrain enjoy historic close and multifaceted ties which include regular high-level political exchanges and interactions, trade & economic, culture, and people to people contacts.
The State visit of PM Modi to Bahrain in August 2019, the first-ever visit by an Indian PM to the Kingdom, deepened and diversified and provided great momentum to our bilateral ties in key areas viz. maritime security, hydrocarbon sector, space technology, renewable energy, health, fintech, IT, infrastructure and construction and cultural and educational exchanges.
EAM's visit to Bahrain in November 2020 carried forward the momentum in bilateral cooperation. The Foreign Minister of Bahrain is likely to visit India soon for the 3rd meeting of the India-Bahrain High Joint Commission.
Our bilateral trade and investment have shown a positive trend in recent years. Bilateral trade is around USD 1 billion. Despite being a small country, investment from Bahrain into India has been substantial. Cumulative FDI inflows from Bahrain to India in 2019 were USD 180 million.
At over 3,50,000 Indians are the largest expatriate community in Bahrain. India including the Indian community in Bahrain are the largest investors in Bahrain with a cumulative investment of over USD 1.5 billion. The Indian community has also immensely contributed in strengthening the cultural links between our two countries.
India and Bahrain have excellent cooperation in dealing with Covid-19. GOI provided 100,000 doses of Covishield vaccines as a gift to Bahrain on 28.01.2021. Earlier, GOI provided 1.5 million HCQ tablets to Bahrain, besides facilitating a special flight to bring Indian nurses and medical professionals to Bahrain for treatment of Covid-19 patients in Bahrain.
Under 'Vande Bharat Mission', over 60,000 Indian nationals travelled back to India from Bahrain. The leadership of Bahrain provided medical and other necessary support to the Indian community in Bahrain, besides support and facilitation to VBM.
Both countries operationalized 'Air Bubble' arrangement w.e.f. 11 September 2020, under which national carriers of both countries are operating a specified number of flights both ways. Over 30,000 Indian nationals have traveled back to Bahrain from India under this arrangement.
( With inputs from ANI )
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