It will be the first visit by an Indian prime minister to the UAE in 34 years.
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The Overseas Friends of the BJP in the UAE announced on Saturday night on their Facbebook page that the PM would be addressing the diaspora at Dubai worldwide Cricket Stadium on August 17. Modi’s predecessor Dr Manmohan Singh had planned to visit the UAE twice but cancelled it due to domestic engagements.
Though no formal announcement has been made about the Prime Ministerial visit, according to official sources, Modi will travel to Abu Dhabi and Dubai during his two-day visit, which is expected to further boost the strong economic, cultural and social ties between India and the second largest Arab economy.
Modi’s trip will be significant in the backdrop of current political churning in West Asia. Besides, militant organisation ISIS has emerged as a common threat not only in the region but also for India. Modi, whose Bharatiya Janata Party won a landslide victory in India last year, recently toured countries including the United States, Australia and Japan – successfully negotiating foreign direct investment deals with the governments in those countries. With total FDI from the UAE estimated at $3.01 billion as of January, the country ranked as tenth biggest investor in India, according to figures available with the external affairs ministry.
The visit, meanwhile, is expected to focus on energy, trade and security partnership between UAE and India.
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Indian expatriate community is the largest ethnic community in UAE constituting roughly about 30 per cent of the Gulf country’s population.
