PM Modi to leave for UAE today, inauguration of Abu Dhabi's first Hindu temple and 'Ahlan Modi' among priorities India TV

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin his two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he will inaugurate the first Hindu temple BAPS Mandir in Abu Dhabi. During his visit, he will address the Indian diaspora filled with thousands of people and meet senior leaders of one of India's closest strategic partners in West Asia. It will leave New Delhi at 11:30 a.m. and land in Abu Dhabi around 4 p.m.

Notably, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in its special briefing on Monday, described the visit as crucial, as the Prime Minister will meet Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ), whom he met in December last year during his visit. in Gujarat. During his visit, Foreign Minister Vinay Mohan Kwatra said the two sides were likely to sign a number of agreements to strengthen cooperation in several key areas following a bilateral meeting with the leader of the United Arab Emirates.

“Over the past nine years, our cooperation with the UAE in various sectors such as trade and investment, defense and security, food and energy security, and education has multiplied. Our cultural ties and interpersonal relationships are stronger than ever. I look forward to meeting His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, in Abu Dhabi and holding in-depth discussions on promoting our comprehensive strategic partnership. J “I had the privilege of welcoming His Highness recently to Gujarat, where he was the Chief Guest at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024,” Prime Minister Modi said minutes before his departure.

Main schedule of PM Modi's trip to UAE

“We are also looking to see if we can reach an agreement on investments in digital infrastructure and on arrangements for the protection and promotion of capital flows,” Kwatra said at a press briefing on Monday. Kwatra said there could be some understanding of cooperation in the port and maritime areas. “As digital cooperation between our two economies is an important part of the partnership, we are also looking to see if we can reach an agreement on investments in digital infrastructure,” he said. Kwatra said the two sides were also exploring possible cooperation in the areas of maritime heritage as well as financial technology products and railways. “Currently, both sides are busy discussing various agreements that could be finalized during the visit,” Kwatra said, adding that he was unable to share further details.

The Prime Minister will also meet Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the UAE.

Inauguration of BAPS Mandir and “Ahlan Modi” event

At his invitation, the Prime Minister will attend the World Government Summit 2024 in Dubai on Wednesday as the guest of honor and will deliver a special keynote address at the summit. Modi will also inaugurate the BAPS Mandir, the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi. The Prime Minister is expected to address the Indian community in the UAE at an event at Zayed Sports City. “At the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, I “will address the gathering of world leaders at the World Government Summit in Dubai on February 14, 2024. My discussions with Prime Minister His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid on the sidelines of the summit will focus on strengthening our multifaceted ties with Dubai,” PM Modi added.

Following Modi's historic visit to the UAE in August 2015, bilateral relations between the two countries were elevated to the status of a comprehensive strategic partnership. The two countries signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in February 2022 and a Local Currency Settlement System (LCS) in July 2023 to promote the use of the Indian Rupee and AED (Arab Emirates Dirham). united) for cross-border transactions. The two countries are among each other's largest trading partners, with bilateral trade worth around $85 billion in 2022-23, according to official data.

India-UAE trade relations

The UAE is also among the top four investors in India in terms of foreign direct investment in 2022-23. A strong and vibrant Indian community of around 3.5 million people makes up the largest expat group in the UAE. The UAE was invited as a special guest to the G20 during India's chairmanship of the group. In February 2023, the India-UAE-France (UFI) trilateral was officially launched. With India's active support, the UAE joined the SCO as a dialogue partner in May 2023.

The UAE also joined BRICS as a member on January 1 with the support of India. Defense cooperation between India and the UAE has also seen a boost in recent years. In January 2024, the first India-UAE bilateral military exercise “Desert Cyclone” took place in Rajasthan.

(With contributions from the agency)

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