Tens of thousands of Indian citizens currently residing in the Emirates have signed up to see Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Ahlan Modi community summit at Zayed Sports City stadium in Abu Dhabi on February 13.
PM Modi is set to visit the UAE for a couple of days for the annual World Government Summit in Dubai next month, addressing the community that evening in the stadium and inaugurating the capital’s first Hindu temple on February 14.
“People flock to listen to the Prime Minister”
Speaking to The National, Sunjay Sudhir, India’s ambassador to the UAE, said: “There’s so much yearning in the community to see the prime minister.” “The last time [PM Modi] did a community event in the UAE was in 2018 so it’s time we do it again,” he noted.
Roughly 3.55 million Indian citizens live in the Gulf state, making it the most popular destination for Indians seeking work overseas, according to figures released in 2023 by India’s External Affairs Minister, V Muraleedharan.
PM Modi has often addressed massive gatherings of Indians across the globe, from the first event in New York in 2014 to Sydney in 2023. “People flock to listen to the Prime Minister and we expect the same here,” said Sudhir.
Modi to inaugurate BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi
Since taking office in 2014, the prominent leader has visited the Emirates several times. Over 40,000 people assembled at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in 2015 to hear Modi. It was the first visit by an Indian PM to the UAE in 34 years.
Several Indians residing in the UAE contacted the Prime Minister’s Office as they learned Modi is expected to be in Abu Dhabi next month for the temple inauguration. Spread over 5.4 hectares of land, the temple aims to be an interfaith centre.
The BAPS Hindu Mandir will accommodate 40,000 people across the site with 2,000 worshippers inside the temple at any given time. The BAPS organisation has built about 1,200 temples in India, the UK, US, Canada, Kenya, South Africa and Australia.
Deepening relations between UAE and India
PM Modi’s landmark official trip in February comes amid deepening relations between the UAE and India. Cooperation between the countries has strengthened over the past decade, enhanced by frequent visits from leaders and major trade agreements signed.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed recently attended a global business summit in India’s Gujarat. He attended the inaugural session of the ‘Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit‘, a platform for business networking, knowledge sharing and forging strategic partnerships.
Registrations for the February 13 event are still open. Click here.
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