PM Modi launches the UPI system in Abu Dhabi and has bilateral talks with the president of the UAE.
As PM Modi landed at the Abu Dhabi Airport, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan greeted him and gave him a hug and a handshake. On Tuesday, he’ll be at the “Ahlan Modi” event at Zayed Sports City Stadium.
As PM Modi landed at the Abu Dhabi Airport, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan greeted him and gave him a hug and a handshake. On Tuesday, he’ll be at the “Ahlan Modi” event at Zayed Sports City Stadium.
PM Modi visits UAE: On Tuesday, after arriving in Abu Dhabi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a bilateral meeting with President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Following the PM’s enthusiastic reception and Guard of Honor in Abu Dhabi, the two sides exchanged many Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in front of the two leaders.
“I appreciate your kind welcome. I always feel like I’ve come to meet my family when I come here to see you. In his opening statement, PM Modi stated, “We’ve met five times in the last seven months, which is very rare and reflects our close relationship.” The Prime Minister referred to Zayed Al Nahyan as his “brother” and stated that India and the UAE collaborate in every area.
Among the Indian delegates present at the meeting were Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. During the meeting, Prime Minister Modi also expressed his gratitude to the President of the United Arab Emirates for accepting his invitation to the earlier this year’s Vibrant Gujarat Summit.
The BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Abu Dhabi’s first Hindu temple, will be opened by PM Modi on Wednesday. “A manifestation of your love for India is the BAPS temple in the United Arab Emirates. Without your help, the BAPS temple could not have been built here,” he said to Al Nahyan. On Tuesday, the two leaders launched the UPI (Unified Payments Interface) RuPay card service in Abu Dhabi in addition to signing the bilateral investment treaty.
Which agreements have India and the United Arab Emirates signed?
The presidents talked about new areas of collaboration and reviewed the bilateral partnership, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. The expansion of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership into other areas, such as trade and investment, energy, digital infrastructure, fintech, infrastructure, culture, and interpersonal relationships, was warmly received.
A bilateral investment treaty, an agreement between the two leaders on cooperation in the field of electrical interconnection and trade, an intergovernmental framework agreement on the India-Middle East Economic Corridor, an agreement on cooperation in digital infrastructure projects, a protocol for cooperation between the national archives of India and the UAE, an agreement for cooperation in the field of heritage and museums, and agreements on the interconnection of domestic debit/credit cards and instant payment platforms (UPI and AANI) were all signed.
After seeing a transaction performed with the card, PM Modi congratulated Al Nahyan on the debut of the UAE’s domestic card, JAYWAN, which is based on the digital RuPay credit and debit card stack. The topic of improving energy relationships was also covered, given that India is now entering into long-term LNG (liquefied natural gas) contracts.
When PM Modi arrived at the Abu Dhabi Airport earlier today, UAE President Al Nahyan greeted him and they exchanged hugs and handshakes. PM Modi wrote on X, “I look forward to a productive visit which will further strengthen the friendship between India and UAE.”
When he first arrived in the nation, he was met with a guard of honor. Based on official data, the UAE and India are among their top commercial partners, with a bilateral trade of approximately $85 billion in 2022–2023. From February 13 to 14, PM Modi will visit the United Arab Emirates; he will then travel to Qatar.
What’s the aim?
With the aim of advancing the bilateral strategic alliance and launching the first Hindu stone temple in this region, Prime Minister Modi will have extensive discussions with the leaders of the Gulf nation. The prime minister is making her third trip to the UAE in the past eight months and her eighth visit since 2015.
Before leaving, Modi made a statement in which he expressed his eagerness to advance India’s comprehensive strategic cooperation with the United Arab Emirates. “Our collaboration with the UAE has expanded greatly over the past nine years in a variety of areas, including commerce and investment, security and defense, food and energy security, and education. Our interpersonal and cultural ties are stronger than ever,” he remarked.
The Indian PM will also give a speech to the local Indian community on Tuesday night at the Zayed Sports City Stadium, which is known as “Ahlan Modi” (Hello Modi in Arabic). “We are quite proud of our diaspora and their endeavors to strengthen India’s international relations. I’m excited to attend the #AhlanModi presentation this evening with the Indian diaspora in the United Arab Emirates.” Modi made a post on X.
Additionally, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE’s vice president, prime minister, and minister of defense, is scheduled to meet with Modi. “I will be addressing the gathering of world leaders at the World Government Summit in Dubai on February 14,” he stated.
