NEW DELHI: On his second visit to the
UAE in a little over two years,
Narendra Modi will survey a strategic partnership that is consolidating around investments and security, having travelled far from 2015 when the Prime Minister made his first trip.
On his first trip to Oman a day after,
Modi will put some key efforts into boosting one of India's most important relationships in the Gulf, a defence and security relationship that has acquired greater salience after China's decision to set up a naval base near
Gwadar in Pakistan.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second visit to UAE is an indication of the special importance we attach to the India-UAE relationship," India's ambassador to UAE Navdeep Singh Suri said. MEA official Mridul Kumar told journalists that Modi had been invited by President of UAE, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
He will arrive there from Palestine on February 10. In Dubai, Modi will address the sixth World Government Summit, where he will deliver the keynote address on "technology for development".
The India-UAE relationship acquired momentum after visit of crown prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh
Mohammedbin Zayed as the chief guest on Republic Day in 2017. Modi is scheduled to address the Indian community at the Dubai Opera House. Modi will also lay the foundation stone for a Hindu temple in UAE. Curiously, the MEA spokesperson described the temple as catering to all Hindu "sects", not confined to any one deity.
The Indian diaspora in the six GCC countries has swelled to over nine million, who send back over $35 billion in remittances, Mridul Kumar, JS (Gulf), said.
In January, India-UAE investment task force met in Abu Dhabi to try to solve the knotty problems left over by some of the older UAE investments in India.
Ledby commerce minister
Suresh Prabhu and chairman of
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) Sheikh Hamid bin Zayed al Nahyan, the task force is looking to facilitate over $1billion into India in the coming months.
This time, Modi's community interactions will focus on top professionals of Indian origin. He will also meet CEOs from major Gulf-based companies.
