Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the enthusiastic Indian community in Abu Dhabi as they thronged in massive number to participate at the Ahlan Modi cultural event held inside Zayed Sports City Stadium. The Indian Premiere arrived for a two-day visit in the UAE on Tuesday. He is set to inaugurate the first Hindu temple in the Gulf nation.
At the onset of the address, PM Modi’s “I have come to meet my family members” remark immediately stole hearts. Amid chants of Modi, Modi, the Indian top leader continued, “I have brought the fragrance of the soil where you were born” as well as carried 140 crore people’s message which is, “Bharat is proud of you”.
The cultural event commenced with national anthems of the two nations. The ambience at the venue showcased admiration and reverence for the Indian Prime Minister among the attendees. In response, the PM expressed that he “feels at home” each time he arrives in the UAE and “incredibly honoured by the warm welcome” from Abu Dhabi’s Indian Community.
Hailing the Bharat-UAE friendship and presence of the Indian community, PM Modi mentioned, “You have scripted history by coming in such large numbers here. You may have come from different parts of the UAE and from different Indian States, but everyone’s hearts are connected… In this historic stadium, every heartbeat echoes the same sentiment – Long Live Bharat-UAE Friendship.”
Remembering his initial trip to the UAE, first by an Indian top leader in three decades, PM Modi narrated about his indelible experience with the new “world of diplomacy” and the warmth displayed by “the then Crown Prince and today’s President along with his five brothers” through “the shine in their eyes”. He continued, “That welcome was not for me alone but for the 140 crore Indians.”
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan accorded warm welcome and the Guard of Honour to PM Modi and later both leaders held a bilateral meeting on Tuesday.
While in the UAE, the PM will inaugurate Abu Dhabi’s first Hindu temple – the BAPS Mandir which “will be an enduring tribute to the values of harmony, peace and tolerance” shared by both Bharat and the UAE, said PM Modi marking his seventh trip to the Gulf nation since assuming office in 2014, and the second to Qatar.
PM Modi is looking forward to further advancing Bharat’s comprehensive strategic partnership with the UAE as both nations have jointly displayed manifold growth in diverse sectors such as trade and investment, defence and security, food and energy security and education over the last nine years. Additionally, the cultural and people-to-people link has become stronger than ever.
The UAE is home to about 3.5 million Indian nationals – the largest expatriate community in the Gulf country.