India, UAE ink 8 pacts on electricity, digi payments

India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday signed eight pacts to bolster cooperation in key areas such as investments, electricity trade and digital payment platforms, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed AI Nahyan discussed new fields of collaboration.

- Rezaul H Laskar

Modi, who arrived in Abu Dhabi on the first leg of a two-nation tour that will also take him to Qatar, reviewed the bilateral partnership and discussed regional and global issues with Mohamed bin Zayed. The UAE is one of India's closest strategic and energy partners in West Asia, and trade was boosted by the signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) in 2022.

In a special gesture, Modi was received at the airport by Mohamed bin Zayed and accorded a ceremonial welcome.

At their subsequent meeting, the leaders witnessed the exchange of eight agreements, including a bilateral investment treaty, which the external affairs ministry said will be a "key enabler" for further investments in both countries.

Modi, in his remarks at the meeting, referred to the UAE leader popularly known as MBZ as his "brother" and said he feels as if he has come to his own home and is meeting members of his family whenever he visits the emirates. The two leaders have met five times in the past seven months, and this is Modi's seventh visit to the UAE.

He referred to Mohamed bin Zayed's closeness to India and his vision for a bright future for the UAE, and said this is reflected in the construction of the BAPS Mandir in Abu Dhabi, which Modi is set to inaugurate on Wednesday. "Without your cooperation, this wouldn't have been possible," he said, speaking in Hindi.