Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from February 13-14 to inaugurate the BAPS Mandir, the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, and to meet the top leadership of one of India’s closest strategic partners in West Asia.
This will be PM Modi’s seventh visit to the UAE since 2015 and the third in the past eight months, reflecting the close ties between the two countries’ leadership.
PM Modi To Visit UAE
Modi will hold bilateral meetings with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and discuss ways to deepen and strengthen the bilateral strategic partnership, the external affairs ministry said in a statement on Saturday. The two leaders will also exchange views on regional and international issues.
PM Modi Will Inaugurate Abu Dhabi Temple
The highlight of the visit is expected to be the inauguration of the BAPS Mandir, and Modi will also address the Indian community in the UAE at an event in Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi.
He will also meet Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE’s vice president, prime minister, and defense minister. At his invitation, PM Modi will participate in the World Government Summit 2024 to be held in Dubai.
About India – UAE Deals
The two countries signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in February 2022 and a Local Currency Settlement (LCS) System in July 2023 to promote using the Indian rupee and UAE dirham for cross-border transactions.
The two countries are among each other’s top trading partners, with two-way trade of $85 billion during 2022-23.
About 3.5 Indians live in the UAE, making up the largest expatriate group in the Emirates. Their positive contributions to the development of their host country have been an “important anchor of our excellent bilateral engagement with the UAE”, the statement said.