When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday afternoon, President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan greeted him with a warm hug – a symbol of their close friendship and strong bond.
Modi, on a two-day visit to the UAE, repeatedly referred to Sheikh Mohamed as his ‘brother’, while the two leaders met to announce the signing of several agreements, including a bilateral investment treaty.
“Whenever I am here to meet you and amidst your people, I have always felt that I have come home and amidst members of my family. I have experienced such a feeling every time I am here. And the close bonding of our ties is such that in the past seven months we have met five times, which perhaps is rare,” Modi told Sheikh Mohamed, while noting that India and the UAE share close cooperation and partnership in several sectors.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
“With the launch of our UPI RuPay card and your Jaywan card, we are entering a new era of FinTech,” Modi said about the agreement inked on inter-linking domestic payment card.
Modi congratulated Sheikh Mohamed on the launch of UAE’s domestic card Jaywan, which is based on the digital RuPay credit and debit card stack. The leaders witnessed a transaction made using the Jaywan card bearing Sheikh Mohamed’s name.
Later, Sheikh Mohamed posted on X that the two leaders discussed ways to advance bilateral ties across diverse fields such as economy, investment, trade, energy, and technology.
“The UAE and India are united by our shared keenness to develop the bilateral strategic partnership to achieve further progress and build a better future for our people.”
During the meeting, Modi thanked Sheikh Mohamed as the BAPS Hindu Mandir, the Middle East’s first traditional stone temple is set for inauguration on Wednesday.
“Your love and affection towards India, and the vision you have for the UAE’s prosperous future is reflected in the construction of the BAPS Hindu Mandir. It wouldn’t have been possible without your cooperation. In our first meeting, I just requested you to look into the matter, and soon you confirmed by saying that I need to point a finger, and that area would be granted,” Modi revealed about the kind gesture by Sheikh Mohamed to grant land for the temple during the Indian Prime Minister’s first visit to the UAE in 2015.
“Such trust and love signifies the uniqueness of this relationship,” Modi said and hailed Sheikh Mohamed for significant support in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
Hail Bharat-UAE friendship
Later, Modi attended the ‘Ahlan Modi’ community event, where he was visibly surprised to see thousands of vibrant Indian community members at the Zayed Sports City Stadium.
“You have scripted history. You have come from different parts of the UAE and different states of India. But your hearts are connected, and each heartbeat says: ‘Hail Bharat-UAE friendship’. I am here to meet my family members. I have brought the fragrance of the soil where you were born. I have brought the message of 1.4 billion brothers and sisters. The message is: ‘Bharat is proud of you’,” Modi said while repeating the message in different Indian languages and trying his hand at Arabic.
On Wednesday, Modi will meet Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. He will participate and deliver a keynote address at the World Government Summit 2024 in Dubai. Later, Modi will return to Abu Dhabi to open the BAPS Hindu Mandir.
Agreements announced
Bilateral Investment Treaty: This agreement will be a key enabler for further promoting investments in both countries. India has signed both a Bilateral Investment Treaty and a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with UAE.
MoU on cooperation in the field of electrical interconnection and trade: This opens new areas of collaboration in the field of energy, including energy security and energy trade.
An intergovernmental framework agreement between India and UAE on the India-Middle East Economic Corridor: This would build on previous understandings and cooperation on this matter and foster India and the UAE cooperation furthering regional connectivity.
Agreement on inter-linking domestic debit/credit cards — RuPay with Jaywan: An important step in building financial sector cooperation, this will enhance the universal acceptance of RuPay across the UAE.
Agreement on interlinking of the instant payment platforms — UPI and Aani: This will facilitate seamless cross-border transactions between the two countries. This follows the MoU on interlinking payment and messaging systems signed in July last year during PM’s visit to Abu Dhabi.
MoU on cooperation in digital infrastructure projects: This will create a framework for wide-ranging cooperation, including investment cooperation, in the digital infrastructure sector and also facilitate the sharing of technical knowledge, skills, and expertise.
Cooperation protocol between the national archives of the two countries: This protocol will shape extensive bilateral cooperation in this field including restoration and preservation of archival material.
MoU for cooperation in the field of heritage and museums: This would foster engagement between the two countries aimed at supporting the Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal, Gujarat.