PM Modi's visit to UAE A new high for the bilateral strategic partnership

NEW DELHI. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s twoday sojourn to the United Arab Emirates was one of the rare occasions in the bilateral relationship on two prominent counts – President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan accorded the honour of himself receiving PM Modi on his seventh visit to the Gulf nation during his decade-long tenure.

- K V PRASAD

That PM Modi shares a special rapport with the UAE leadership was demonstrated during the February 13-14 trip to Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

On his part the Prime Minister captured the essence of his equation with UAE and its people likening it to visiting one’s own home. “Whenever I come here to meet you, I always feel I have come to meet my family. We have met five times in the last seven months, it is very rare and reflects our close relationship”, Modi observed while the President chose to address the guest as ‘Brother” which underscored the warmth.

In recent times, the two leaders have had met on several occasions with PM Modi visiting the UAE twice during 2023 to take part in the COP and World Climate Action Summit, while President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed was in New Delhi for the G-20 and in January this year as a Guest of Honour at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit.

During the latest visit both leaders reviewed cooperation across several sectors including trade and investment, digital infrastructure, fintech, energy, infrastructure, culture and people-to-people ties.

AGReeMenTS AnD MOUS

The two leaders also held one-on-one talks and witnessed the exchange of several agreements and Memoranda of Understanding, a Ministry of External Affairs release said. The leaders agreed on strengthening the energy partnership and appreciated that in addition to the UAE being among the largest sources of crude and LPG, India is now entering into long term contracts for LNG.