Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, on Monday held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of an official visit to the country.
The two men discussed efforts to bolster long-standing ties between the UAE and India during a reception held at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. They also reviewed ways to support co-operation in several sectors.
Sheikh Khaled conveyed the greetings of President Sheikh Mohamed to Mr Modi, who offered similar sentiments in return.
The Crown Prince later observed a minute's silence and laid a wreath of flowers at the shrine of Mahatma Gandhi, revered as the father of India's independence from British rule, at Raj Ghat memorial in New Delhi.
Sheikh Khaled tended to trees which had been planted by UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and President Sheikh Mohamed, when serving as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, on trips in 1975 and 2016, respectively.
He then planted his own tree of friendship in celebration of the deep-rooted ties between India and the Emirates.
Sheikh Khaled expressed pride in the spirit of fraternity shared by the countries and noted continuing collaboration would nurture further growth.
He concluded his visit by writing a message in the guestbook of the memorial site.
"Mahatma Gandhi will always be immortalised in the hearts of his people and the entire world for his sacrifices that promoted the values of love and peace," the note read. "Similarly, our Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed, instilled these same noble values worldwide through his legacy of generosity and humanitarian action."
He also met Indian President Droupadi Murmu during a special reception held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi and reaffirmed the commitment to further expand economic partnerships. Sheikh Khaled signed the guestbook at Rashtrapati Bhavan, leaving a poignant message that underscored the depth of the historical bonds shared between the two countries.
The Indian Prime Minister visited the UAE in February and inaugurated the Baps Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi. The countries also signed a pact to expand bilateral investment co-operation in digital infrastructure.
In January, Sheikh Mohamed visited India and met Mr Modi while attending the Vibrant Gujarat business summit.
Deals agreed at talks
Several strategic agreements were announced at the meeting, as part of the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa), which came into effect in February 2022. The deals include Adnoc entering into a 15-year liquefied natural gas agreement with IndianOil, a government-owned oil and gas company.
Adnoc has also signed a strategic framework agreement with Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve Limited to extend its existing oil storage agreement and support India’s energy security.
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Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, meets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday. Photo: UAE Presidential Court -
The two men explored efforts to bolster long-standing ties during a reception held at Hyderabad House. Photo: UAE Presidential Court -
Sheikh Khaled arrived in India on Sunday for a tour including several events that will highlight the bond between India and the UAE. Photo: UAE Presidential Court -
Sheikh Khaled is due to visit Rajghat, the memorial site built in honour of Mahatma Gandhi, before heading to Mumbai on Tuesday. Photo: UAE Presidential Court -
Sheikh Khaled's visit to India is the most significant overseas trip he has taken since being named Crown Prince last year. Photo: UAE Presidential Court -
Last week, Sheikh Khaled attended the inauguration of the first international campus of the Indian Institute of Technology in Abu Dhabi. Photo: UAE Presidential Court -
Sheikh Khaled has visited the shrine of Mahatma Gandhi at the Raj Ghat memorial in New Delhi. Photo: Abu Dhabi Media Office -
Sheikh Khaled observed a minute's silence and laid a wreath of flowers at the shrine. Photo: Abu Dhabi Media Office -
Mahatma Gandhi is revered as the father of India's independence from British rule. Photo: Abu Dhabi Media Office -
Sheikh Khaled expressed pride in the spirit of fraternity shared by the countries. Photo: Abu Dhabi Media Office -
Sheikh Khaled planted tree saplings at Raj Ghat memorial in New Delhi. Photo: Abu Dhabi Media Office -
Sheikh Khaled also tended to trees planted by UAE leaders in 1975 and 2016. Photo: Abu Dhabi Media Office -
Sheikh Khaled concluded his visit to Raj Ghat memorial by writing in the guestbook. Photo: Abu Dhabi Media Office
ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company, will work with the government of Gujarat to develop a major food and agriculture park featuring state-of-the-art technology in India.
Meanwhile, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation has partnered with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India to provide a formal framework to share knowledge and exchange expertise across all areas of nuclear energy development.
Sheikh Khaled arrived in New Delhi on Sunday, where he was met by Piyush Goyal, India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, after touching down at the airport on an Etihad plane.
He received a red-carpet reception during which the national anthems of both countries were played, before being greeted by a ceremonial guard of honour and a traditional cultural performance.
Sheikh Khaled's delegation includes Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation, Mohammed Alsuwaidi, Minister of Investment, and Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority, Abu Dhabi Media Office said.
Sheikh Khaled is set to attend several events that highlight the bond between the two countries during the tour, which is due to conclude on Tuesday.
