New Delhi: Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi will pay an official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 13 to 14 February 2024.
According to the statement of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India released on February 10, this will be the Prime Minister Modi's seventh visit to the UAE since 2015 and the third in the last eight months.
During his visit, Prime Minister Modi will hold bilateral meetings with the President of the UAE His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Both leaders will discuss ways to further deepen, expand and strengthen the strategic partnership between the countries and exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
Prime Minister Modi will also meet with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Defence Minister of UAE.
At his invitation, Prime Minister Modi will participate in the World Government Summit 2024 to be held in Dubai as Guest of Honour and deliver a special keynote address at the Summit.
During his two-day visit to UAE, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the BAPS Mandir, the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi.
"On behalf of BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, Pujya Swami Ishwarcharandas and Swami Brahmaviharidas, along with the board of directors, extended a heartfelt invitation to the Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for the inauguration ceremony scheduled for 14 February 2024", BAPS said in its statement on December 27.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi accepted the invitation to inaugurate the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi.
Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) is a socio-spiritual Hindu faith with its roots in the Vedas. It was revealed by Bhagwan Swaminarayan (1781-1830) in the late 18th century and established in 1907 by Shastriji Maharaj (1865-1951).
On Sunday, 11 February in 2018, the land generously gifted by a royal decree for a Hindu Temple, an auspicious Vedic Shila Pujan (foundation-stone sanctification ceremony) was performed by Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami, a senior swami of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha – the organization entrusted by the Crown Prince and Government of India to build the temple.
During his visit to UAE, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also address the Indian community in the UAE at an event in Zayed Sports city in Abu Dhabi.
"India and UAE enjoy warm, close and multi-faceted relations underpinned by strong political, cultural and economic linkages. Following the landmark visit of Prime Minister Shri 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 MEA said in its statement on February 10.
The two countries are among each other's top trading partners with a bilateral trade of about US$ 85 billion in 2022-23.
UAE is also among the top 4 investors in India in terms of foreign direct investments in 2022-23.
About 3.5 million strong and vibrant Indian community forms the largest expatriate group in UAE, the MEA said.
The MEA further said that their positive and well-appreciated contribution in the development of their host country has been an important anchor of our excellent bilateral engagement with the UAE.
