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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) wave to the crowd at an air force base in New Delhi on February 10, 2016, the start of Abu Dhabi's crown prince three-day state visit to India. Image Credit: AFP

New Delhi: UAE and India share a common interest in converting mutual relations to a strategic partnership in various fields, His Highness Shaikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, said after arriving in New Delhi on Wednesday

Shaikh Mohammad arrived in the Indian capital to a warm welcome by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who went to the airport to receive the "special friend".

“A special welcome for a special friend. PM @narendramodi personally receives HH Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan,” tweeted the PMO with a photo of the two leaders shaking hands at the Palam Technical Airport.

“This is Shaikh Mohammed’s 1st state visit to India & am glad he is visiting with his family,” Modi said in a tweet.

“Shaikh Mohammad is a visionary leader. His visit will add new vigour and momentum to comprehensive strategic partnership between India & UAE," Modi added.

In a press statement issued in the Indian capital, Shaikh Mohammad said: “I can only express my overwhelming happiness to be present in the land of this friendly country of such a great civilisation, one which has significantly contributed to the edification of human civilisation.”

 

 

 

 

UAE-India relations have historical ties dating back hundreds of years, and that the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan had a prominent role in consolidating this relationship and developing its strong foundations, he said.

Strong relations

“Within this context came the late Shaikh Zayed’s historic visit to India in 1975, which represented a fundamental starting point for the development and progress of all relations between the two countries over the past decades. The Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s visit to the UAE in 1981 was a quantum leap in the course of relations between the two countries.”

“The UAE, under the leadership of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is always eager for strong relations with India, especially in light of the significant cooperation opportunities that exist, and the rapid regional and international changes which call for a greater coordination and understanding between our two countries to face the challenges posed by these changes, as well as the investment opportunities they offer.”

Shaikh Mohammad went on to say that the most important thing which characterises UAE-India relations is that shared relations go beyond the political and economical, and have a special cultural and civilisational reach.

These cultural ties and old links between the two nations have also strengthened the presence of the Indian labour force in the UAE over many years, he added.

The UAE government and its people value the contributions of the Indian community in the UAE, and the important role they have played in the various phases of the national development process, and appreciate their role in deepening popular links between the two countries, and strengthening the basis of common interests which open up bigger prospects for the future of bilateral relations.

Shaikh Mohammad stressed that India, with its political, economic and human strength, is an influential regional and international force with an important role in security and stability issues at both regional and international levels.

He added that the UAE looks forward to effective Indian contributions to meeting the challenges and risks that face the region and the world, and finding just solutions to the problems, crises and tensions in the Middle East, especially in light of Indian foreign policy which is distinguished in poise, balance and wisdom, and enjoys wide acceptance regionally and globally.

“I am full of confidence that this visit to the friendly Republic of India will achieve its goals in pushing UAE-India relations forward by major steps, especially as these relations are based on the strong political will of the two countries, which is evident through the density of mutual high-level visits, the large number of agreements that have been signed over the past years, and the joint keenness for activating these agreements and turning them into practical programmes and projects,” he added

With inputs from WAM and PTI

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi upon his arrival at Air Force station Palam, in New Delhi on Wednesday. Image Credit: PTI
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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj with Shaikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan Image Credit: PTI
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