Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a two-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on February 13 and 14 during which he will be inaugurating the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, BAPS Mandir. While on the visit, PM Modi will also be addressing the Indian diaspora.
In an official release, the external affairs ministry stated that the Indian Prime Minister will hold a bilateral meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and take part in the World Government Summit 2024.
The MEA statement read, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay an official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 13 to 14 February 2024."
This visit will mark Prime Minister Modi's seventh trip to the UAE since 2015 and his third visit in the past eight months.
During the trip, the Prime Minister is scheduled to have one-on-one discussions with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. They will explore avenues to enhance and solidify the strong strategic alliance between the two countries, and share perspectives on mutual regional and global concerns, as stated in the announcement.
Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to have a meeting with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who serves as the Vice President, Prime Minister, and Defence Minister of the UAE. In response to his invitation, the Prime Minister will attend the World Government Summit 2024 in Dubai as the Guest of Honour and will deliver a special keynote address at the event.
PM Modi is set to open the BAPS Mandir, marking the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi. Additionally, he will speak to the Indian community in the UAE at an event held at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi.
As per the MEA, India and the UAE have strong political, cultural, and economic ties, fostering a warm and close relationship with multiple dimensions.
"Following the landmark visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to UAE in August 2015, bilateral relations between the two countries been elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Both countries signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in February 2022 and a Local Currency Settlement (LCS) System in July 2023 to promote the use of Indian Rupee and AED for cross-border transactions," the statement added.
India and the UAE are significant trading partners, with their bilateral trade reaching approximately USD 85 billion in 2022-23. Additionally, the UAE ranks as one of the top four investors in India in terms of foreign direct investments for the same period.
Meanwhile, approximately 3.5 million active and dynamic Indian residents make up the biggest expatriate community in the UAE. The Ministry of External Affairs also emphasized that their valuable and acknowledged role in the progress of their adopted nation has been a significant cornerstone of our outstanding mutual relationship with the UAE.
