New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the first half of next month, which will be his first foreign visit in 2022, people familiar with the development said on Monday.
He said both sides are looking at consolidating the yatra around January 6, but no final decision has been taken on the dates yet.
The Prime Minister’s proposed visit to the strategically important Gulf country comes at a time when the two countries are celebrating 50 years of their diplomatic ties. Modi is also expected to visit the Dubai Expo during this visit.
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Both India and the UAE are in talks to strengthen a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement to further boost economic ties and are likely to move forward during the visit.
In a reflection of their growing strategic ties, India and the United Arab Emirates recently became part of a new four-nation grouping that is expected to focus on issues related to trade and investment. The other two members are the US and Israel.
The ties between the two countries saw a major boom after Modi’s visit to the UAE in 2015 as it marked the beginning of a new phase in the partnership.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, visited India in 2016.
He visited India again in January 2017 as the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations.
It was during this visit that bilateral relations were upgraded into a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’.
Prime Minister Modi visited the United Arab Emirates again in February 2018 for the 6th World Government Summit in Dubai, where India was the guest of honour. He visited the UAE again in August 2019 to receive the UAE’s highest civilian award, ‘The Order of Zayed’.
The UAE is home to over 3.3 million Indians, who play an important role in the overall cultural and people-to-people ties between the two sides.
In August, Anwar Gargash, diplomatic advisor to UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, visited India.
Bilateral defense and strategic relations between the two countries have also expanded steadily.
In December last year, Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane visited the UAE and it was the first visit by an Indian Army Chief to the Gulf country.
In July, the then Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, visited the UAE in a reflection of the growing strategic ties.
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