New Delhi: India seeks to strengthen ties with the government of the UAE where a robust Indian community has always enjoyed excellent relations with citizens and governments of the emirates, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Gulf News.
In an interview on Saturday at his sprawling residence on New Delhi’s Race Course Road, Modi said India-UAE relations must improve at the government level.
“In other parts of the world, contacts between governments lead to people to people ties. But UAE is one country where the Indian community has always enjoyed good relations with the UAE but contacts at the official level are limited. I believe there’s a mismatch in ties [contacts at official level] and I am confident my trip will be a success on this front,” Modi, who is visiting the UAE on a two-day official visit starting Sunday, said.
Modi’s visit to the UAE is significant as this will be his first to the Arabian Gulf and Middle East region since his election in May 2014. In the last one year, he has travelled to the US, Australia, Canada and a host of Asian countries. He is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia and Turkey later this year.
“This is not just the first visit of an Indian prime minister in 34 years but also my first visit to the UAE, a nation I admire,” the Prime Minister said, praising the “vision, farsightedness and effectiveness” of the UAE leadership for “building an oasis” in the desert. “I always wondered how the UAE government has achieved all this. I am grateful to the UAE leadership for this invitation and for giving me an opportunity to visit the UAE.”
The Prime Minister said he wants India and UAE to become strategic partners. “I want India-UAE relations to emerge as a strategic partnership.”
Praising the Indian expatriate community, the Prime Minister said most Indian languages are spoken in the UAE. “There is a mini India in the UAE and Indians have a special bond with the UAE.”
“Yet,” he continued, “Indians have remained firmly entrenched in their Indian roots. In the last 30-40 years, Indian expatriates have contributed a lot to the UAE’s development and have taken an active role in that nation’s progress.”
Commenting on terrorism, Modi said all countries must unite to fight terrorist organisations as they pose a serious threat to economic progress and stability.
On the historical ties between UAE and India, Modi said: “India and the UAE enjoy strong bonds of friendship based on civilisational links and age-old people to people contacts. Indian spices were traded for Emirati pearls long before oil was discovered in UAE. UAE hosts a 2.6 million-strong Indian community, which is an integral part of UAE’s progress and its vibrant multi-cultural society and is also making a significant contribution to the Indian economy. India is UAE’s second largest trading partner; UAE is India’s third largest [trading partner] behind US and China. We have growing investment relations. Security and defence cooperation are also expanding.”
He added: “Yet, I agree that with all that we have built between our societies and our economies, we have not fully exploited the potential of our relations. I am looking forward to elevating our economic partnership to a new level. We both wish to transform our relations in defence, security and counter-terrorism, as also in areas like clean energy, infrastructure, education, science and technology and culture.”
Modi will arrive in Abu Dhabi on Sunday afternoon and is expected to visit Shaikh Zayed Mosque and a labour accommodation in Musaffah area. Later in the evening, he will hold talks with top officials at Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.
The next day, Modi will meet His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
Also on the agenda for Monday is a visit to Masdar and a grand public reception at Dubai Cricket Stadium to be attended by tens of thousands of Indian expatriates. He will return to New Delhi on Monday after the event.
The Prime Minister’s visit, meanwhile, is aimed at attracting UAE investment in the infrastructure sector and discussing ways to boost an investment protection agreement signed by the UAE and India in 2013.
