New Delhi: The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is in New Delhi on his maiden official visit to India. He was invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sheikh Khaled is scheduled to meet PM Modi on September 9 and they will hold discussions on a range of issues that focus on bilateral cooperation. On September 10, the Crown Prince will visit Mumbai to participate in a business forum.
It was in January this year that UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited India. PM Modi and the UAE President discussed ways to boost the strategic partnership between the two nations. Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan also attended the 10th edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.
The bonhomie and mutual appreciation
In July 2023, PM Modi had toured the UAE – his fifth visit to the country since 2015. In 2015, he became the first Prime Minister of India to visit the UAE in 34 years. In 2017, the India-UAE relation was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited India.
However, the bond between PM Modi and the Nahyans goes beyond politics and diplomacy. It’s not without reason that PM Modi, during his tour of the UAE in February this year, called President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan his “brother” and pointed out that the two had met five times in the last seven months. And while embracing him, he thanked him for being instrumental in the construction of the BAPS temple — the first Hindu temple in the UAE. “The construction of Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha temple here would not have been possible without your support,” he said. And as they exchanged several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), their bonhomie was quite evident.
The ‘personal bond’ between PM Modi and UAE President is at the centre of the India-UAE ties. The mutual honour and appreciation is reflected on PM Modi being honoured with the ‘Order of Zayed’, the UAE’s highest civilian award, in 2019, and PM Modi calling Nahyan his family and acknowledging his role in taking the bilateral ties to a new level. In July 2022, during PM Modi’s brief stopover in Abu Dhabi, President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan went to receive PM Modi at the airport. The Indian Embassy couldn’t prepare for the reception as it came at a short notice. However, what surprised them was the UAE President’s gesture. The gesture was repeated in July 2023.
The unique bond that PM Modi and Sheikh Nahyan share has been a key factor in driving the mutual trust between the two countries. And with the recent visit of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, this bond will continue to grow stronger. And the India-UAE relationship will go beyond the traditional diplomacy and solidify the foundation of much deeper ties.