NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Tuesday held one-on-one talks in Abu Dhabi and witnessed the inking of eight pacts, including one on the India-Middle East Economic Corridor and another on promoting bilateral investments.
PM Modi then addressed a huge rally in a stadium. Billed as “Ahlan Modi” (Hello Modi), the rally saw a huge turnout of Indian expatriates who rent the air with pro-India slogans. Besides PM Modi’s address, another highlight of the event was performances by over 700 cultural artistes displaying the diversity of Indian arts.
At the rally, the PM appreciated Sheikh Zayed’s assurance to look after the wellbeing of Indian expatriates living in the UAE. The agreements signed on Tuesday, he said, would take forward cooperation in the same spirit of trust and understanding. To the huge appreciation of the audience, the PM also spoke briefly in Arabic.
Earlier, PM Modi arrived in Abu Dhabi on an official visit to the UAE. In a special gesture, he was received at the airport by Sheikh Zayed, and thereafter, accorded a ceremonial welcome. The two leaders shook hands and hugged each other.
In their talks, the two leaders welcomed the deepening of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership across sectors, including trade and investment, digital infrastructure, fintech, energy, infrastructure, culture and people-to-people ties. Discussions also covered regional and global issues.
The two leaders witnessed the exchange of documents relating to bilateral investment treaty, which will be a key enabler for further promoting investments in both countries. An MoU on energy collaboration will open new areas of collaboration in the field of energy, including energy security and energy trade. An inter-governmental framework agreement on the India-Middle East corridor would build on previous understandings and cooperation on this matter and foster India and the UAE cooperation furthering regional connectivity, said an MEA statement.
They also witnessed the signing of an agreement on interlinking of the instant payment platforms UPI (India) and AANI (UAE) and a pact on inter-linking domestic debit/credit cards RuPay (India) with JAYWAN (UAE).
The leaders further discussed the strengthening of energy partnership. They appreciated that in addition to the UAE being among the largest sources of crude and LPG, India was now entering into long-term contracts for LNG.