Modi to hold official talks with Abu Dhabi, Dubai rulers

ABU DHABI :  Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently on a two-day visit to the UAE, will  today hold talks with Prime Minister and ruler of Dubai Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum besides discussions with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.    He will also address about 50,000 Indian diaspora at the Dubai cricket stadium.    The Abu Dhabi government had yesterday announced its decision to allot land for construction of a  temple, which would be the  first here, though Dubai has few.    Having a temple was a long-standing demand of the 2.6 million strong Indian community in the UAE.
Mr Modi, who arrive here yesterday, will also visit Masdar City–a zero carbon city today  and interact with business and industry leaders besides having lunch with the ruler of Abu Dhabi before leaving for  Dubai.       The PM  had yesterday visited the historic Sheikh Zayaed mosque, the third largest in the  world after the Mecca and Madina  mosques in Saudi Arabia.     This happens to be his first visit to a mosque, though he has visited several Muslim countries so far.
Mr Modi took a selfie at the mosque, which is named after the founder and the first President of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bi Sultan Al Nahyan.     He went around the mosque and also wrote in the visitor’s book. ” One is stricken by the magnificence and beauty of this place of worship. It is the combination of exquisite skills and creations from around the world, and serves as a fine example of human achievement and unity,” the PM penned.
Mr Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister in the last 34 years to visit the UAE,  which is home to about 2.6 million Indians who remit more that 13 billion dollars to their home country annually.
(AGENCIES)