PM Modi addresses diaspora in Abu Dhabi, says ‘Bharat is proud of you’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Indian Diaspora at the ‘Ahlan Modi’ event in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and said that he has brought the message of 140 crore people.

“You have created a new history in Abu Dhabi. You have come from all corners of UAE, and different states of India, but the hearts of everyone are connected,” he said.

VIDEO | “You have created a new history in Abu Dhabi. You have come from all corners of UAE, and different states of India, but hearts of everyone are connected,” says PM Modi while addressing the Indian diaspora at ‘Ahlan Modi’ event in Abu Dhabi. pic.twitter.com/pBwFKUneQi

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 13, 2024

“I have brought the message from your 140 Cr brothers and sisters; and the message is that India is proud of you, you are the pride of our country, Bharat is proud of you,” he added.

VIDEO | “I have brought the message from your 140 brothers and sisters; and the message is that India is proud of you, you are the pride of our country, Bharat is proud of you,” says PM Modi while addressing the Indian diaspora at the ‘Ahlan Modi’ event at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in… pic.twitter.com/ALWNi7Iojs

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 13, 2024

PM Modi arrived here earlier in the day and was received at the airport by President Sheikh Mohamed. He thanked UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his support and his graciousness in granting the land for the construction of a Hindu temple here, saying it reflects his affinity for India.

Modi will inaugurate the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Mandir, the first Hindu stone temple in Abu Dhabi, on Wednesday.

The two leaders held wide-ranging talks soon after Prime Minister Modi arrived in the UAE.
In his opening remarks, Modi said the BAPS temple in Abu Dhabi is an example of the

“President’s affinity towards India and his vision for the UAE’s bright future.”
The BAPS Hindu Mandir, located in Abu Mureikhah, near Al Rahba off the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway, has come up on around 27 acres of land in Abu Dhabi and the work for the structure has been going on since 2019.

The land for the temple was donated by the UAE government. “The construction of the BAPS temple would not have been possible without your support,” he said. Modi recalled that in his first meeting with President Sheikh Mohamed, he just mentioned the land for the temple and how he immediately responded to the request.

“Such trust and love itself represent the strength of our unique relationship,” Modi said.
The inauguration of the BAPS temple will take place three weeks after the new Ram Lalla idol was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on January 22 an event led by Prime Minister Modi.
The UAE has three other Hindu temples that are located in Dubai. The BAPS temple spread over a large area with stone architecture, will be the largest of all in the Gulf region.

Of the over 9 million people living in the UAE, India estimates more than 3.5 million are Indian expatriates, making them the largest national group of people in the country, outnumbering even Emirati citizens.

Modi’s visit highlights the nations’ longstanding economic and historic ties, from spice selling and gold smuggling in the UAE’s formative years to tens of billions of dollars worth of annual bilateral trade today.

The countries signed a free trade deal in 2022 aimed at doubling their bilateral trade to $100 billion. India remains a key buyer of Emirati oil, while the UAE hopes to boost its local industries. The countries have agreed to allow India to settle some payments in rupees as opposed to dollars, lowering transaction costs.

The relationship also underscores the Emirates’ realpolitik foreign policy. The UAE has embraced Modi as Muslims in India increasingly come under attack by Hindu nationalist groups. Modi received the Emirates’ top civilian honor in 2019 even as he stripped statehood from the disputed Muslim-majority region of Kashmir.

Modi’s original visit to the Emirates in 2015 was the first by an Indian prime minister in 34 years.

Modi also will address the World Governments Summit in Dubai and inaugurate a new stone-carved Hindu temple near Abu Dhabi on Wednesday while in the UAE. He’ll then travel on to Qatar.