PM Modi Meets UAE President, Thanks Him for His Support to BAPS Temple In Abu Dhabi
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in bilateral talks with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan shortly after his arrival in Abu Dhabi, where he received a warm welcome.
Abu Dhabi: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in bilateral talks with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan shortly after his arrival in Abu Dhabi, where he received a warm welcome.
PM Modi expressed gratitude to the UAE President for his assistance in the construction of the BAPS Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi. “I thank you for the warm welcome. Whenever I come here to meet you, I always feel I have come to meet my family. We’ve met 5 times in the last 7 months, it’s very rare and reflects our close relationship…”
“The construction of BAPS (Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha) temple here would not have been possible without your support…” the PM told the UAE President.
Upon his arrival, PM Modi was warmly welcomed by UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two leaders exchanged handshakes and embraced each other. Prime Minister Modi also received a guard of honour.
PM Modi is scheduled to address the Indian diaspora at the “Ahlan Modi” event. He will also inaugurate the BAPS Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. The Indian expatriate community in the UAE has eagerly awaited PM Modi’s visit, with over 65,000 registrations received for the Ahlan Modi event.
The Indian expatriate community, comprising approximately 3.5 million people, is the largest ethnic community in the UAE, constituting roughly 35 per cent of the country’s population. Jitendra Vaidya, President of the Indian People Forum and leader of the Ahlan Modi initiative, expressed his excitement and anticipation for the groundbreaking event.
Ved Prakash Gupta, a member of the Indian diaspora and a volunteer at the ‘Ahlan Modi’ event, emphasized that this visit is a significant milestone in India-UAE relations.
Ahead of his departure, the Prime Minister took to social media platform X to express his anticipation for meeting his “brother,” the President of UAE, with whom he shares a strong rapport.
This visit marks the third by the PM to the Gulf country in the past eight months, as per a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs Minister.
“My discussions with Prime Minister His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid on the margins of the Summit will focus on strengthening our multifaceted ties with Dubai,” the Prime Minister said in a statement ahead of his departure.
He will also inaugurate the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. “The BAPS temple will be an enduring tribute to the values of harmony, peace and tolerance, which both India and the UAE share,” the PM said.
The ‘Ahlan Modi’ or ‘Hello Modi’ event, organised by the Indian community in Abu Dhabi, has garnered unprecedented attention, with over 65,000 registrations received, reflecting the overwhelming response from the Indian expatriate community.
PM Modi will be in the UAE from February 13-14, after which he will proceed to Doha.
