- Monday, July 08, 2024
In Dubai, the Indian PM will inaugurate Bharat Mart, a warehouse facility that will help Indian experts to showcase their products under one roof.
By: Shubham Ghosh
AFTER an eventful first day of his two-day trip to the UAE when he met the top leadership of the host nation and addressed the Indian diaspora in Abu Dhabi, prime minister Narendra Modi was set for an equally busy day on Wednesday (14).
Besides holding more bilateral meetings, he was set to inaugurate the grand BAPS Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi during the day. The Indian leader will also address the World Government Summit in Dubai as the guest of honour. Ahead of the summit, the city’s Burj Khalifa was lit up with the words ‘Guest of Honor – Republic of India’.
Modi will meet the Emir of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed ibn Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the vice president, prime minister and defence minister of the UAE. The visiting leader will also inaugurate Bharat Mart, a warehouse facility that will help Indian experts to showcase their products under one roof.
Read: Modi hails India-UAE brotherhood at ‘Ahlan Modi’ in Abu Dhabi
The concept is similar to Dragon Mart, a trading and retail hub for Chinese products in Dubai.
Welcoming Modi, Maktoum said in a post on X, “We extend a warm welcome to the Republic of India, the guest of honour at this year’s World Governments Summit, and to His Excellency Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India. The strong ties between our nations serve as a model for international cooperation.”
Read: Modi thanks UAE president for BAPS temple: ‘Shows your love for India’
Maktoum’s son Hamdan bin Mohammed, the crown prince of Dubai, also welcomed Modi tweeting, “We extend a warm welcome to the Republic of India, the guest of honour at this year’s World Governments Summit, and to His Excellency Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India. The strong ties between our nations serve as a model for international cooperation.”
It is an honour to be speaking at the @WorldGovSummit later today. I shall be elaborating on a wide range of subjects, which will strengthen the conversations around building a better planet. https://t.co/sfsd3bZbPa
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 14, 2024
Modi responded to the post, saying, “It is an honour to be speaking at the @WorldGovSummit later today. I shall be elaborating on a wide range of subjects, which will strengthen the conversations around building a better planet.”
Later on Wednesday, Modi will inaugurate the BAPS temple, the UAE’s inaugural traditional stone temple, in Abu Dhabi’s Abu Mureikhah district. He had laid the foundation of the temple in 2018. On Tuesday (13), he thanked the president of the UAE, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for his support for the temple project.
“I consider the construction of BAPS temple here as a reflection of your love for India and your vision for the bright future of the UAE. This couldn’t have been possible without your support. During our first meeting, I had just put up a simple request for you to look into it and you took a prompt decision, asking me to ‘Put your finger on any piece of land, you will get it’. Perhaps, this level of love and trust showcases the unique relationship,” Modi said.
After attending the temple ceremony, Modi will leave for Qatar. The trip is considered to be of geopolitical significance since it comes right after Doha released eight Indian Navy veterans who were convicted of espionage.
The Indian PM will hold a bilateral meeting with Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. He is scheduled to return home on Thursday.
On Tuesday, Modi held a bilateral meeting with Al Nahyan, during which several memorandums of understanding were signed between the two countries. He also launched along with the host leader the UPI (Unified Payments Interface) RuPay card service in Abu Dhabi.
