The home side were the favourites going into the match but a disciplined and focused performance saw Manvir Singh striking 15 minutes from time to earn India a flying start.
“I am not surprised by the outcome, but I always maintain respect for our opponents. Nevertheless, I have complete confidence in our team and their abilities,” said Stimac.
“Our goal was to win the game, although it is important to exercise caution when expressing such sentiments, as it may be perceived as underestimating our opponents. I have utmost trust in our team and the effort they have put in over the past four and a half years.”
“We have worked diligently with them, supporting and guiding them, acknowledging their mistakes and urging them to persevere. And now, we are beginning to see the results of our efforts.”
“We maintained complete control over the game and denied Kuwait any opportunity. I had some concerns as we were missing three key players due to significant injuries, but the players who took their place did an exceptional job,” Stimac added.
Up next for India are reigning AFC Asian Cup champions Qatar, with the tie to be played at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, November 21.
For Kuwait, the defeat was an early setback in their bid to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for a second time, with head coach Rui Bento accepting responsibility.
“I feel that I should apologise to the Kuwait fans, who did all they could by supporting the team.”
“I take the responsibility for the result, because I was the one who made the selections, the team performance didn’t reflect what we did during the preparations. We must work now to move forward after losing the first match,” said Bento.
Kuwait meet Afghanistan, who were defeated 8-1 by Qatar, on Tuesday.