NEW DELHI: The 46th anniversary of the founding of the UAE was celebrated in New Delhi with a reception rich in diversity and the cultural heritage of the country.

The Indian government was represented at the reception by Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the Union Minister for Minority Affairs.

Naqvi said he conveyed the warm greetings of the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind and the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to the President of UAE, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and “the friendly people of UAE on this occasion.”

Naqvi remarked that India’s relations with the UAE have multiple facets spread over different fields. “All these have achieved greater heights in recent times. The large Indian community in the UAE constitutes an important link between two nations,” he added.

Dr. Ahmed Al Banna, UAE’s Ambassador to India, spoke about the themes that are at the core of the country’s national strategy from year to year.

The Ambassador highlighted preparations to celebrate 2018 as the “Year of Zayed” to honour the founding father of the UAE in the centenary year of his birth.

The reception was attended by members of the diplomatic corps in New Delhi, academics, members of the media, businessmen and Indian government officials.

WAM