President Sheikh Mohamed receives Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Abu Dhabi

Modi is in the UAE for a two-day visit and is set to speak at the World Governments Summit on Wednesday

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President Sheikh Mohamed received Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

Sheikh Mohamed welcomed Mr Modi at the Presidential Airport in Abu Dhabi, state news agency Wam reported.

The meeting took place as part of his two-day visit to the UAE, where he will address a crowd of 40,000 Indian citizens at Zayed Sports City Stadium.

Mr Modi is also due to speak at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Wednesday, before inaugurating the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi later that day.

"Today I met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Abu Dhabi, where we discussed ways to advance bilateral ties across diverse fields such as economy, investment, trade, energy and technology," Sheikh Mohamed said in a post shared to X.

"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 peoples."

During the meeting, Sheikh Mohamed and Mr Modi also signed agreements aiming to strengthen partnerships between the two nations.

These included in areas of investment, trade, digital infrastructure projects, electrical connectivity, maritime transport, ports and railways.

The two leaders also agreed to establish a network for cross-border transfers and linking instant payment platforms, as well as a framework agreement on enabling an economic corridor between India, the Middle East and Europe.

The agreements were witnessed by Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation, and Vinay Mohan Kwatra, India's Foreign Secretary.

An official ceremony was held for his arrival on Tuesday, with the national anthems of both the UAE and India played.

The reception was attended by senior Emirati officials including Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court; Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Adviser; and Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

Updated: February 14, 2024, 6:48 AM