Crown Prince of Dubai to arrive in India today for two-day visit

New Delhi, April 8 (IANS) Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Deputy Prime Minister, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, will arrive in India on Tuesday for a two-day official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This marks Sheikh Hamdan's first official visit to India in his capacity as the Crown Prince of Dubai. He will be accompanied by several ministers, senior government officials, and a high-level business delegation.

Prime Minister Modi will host a working lunch for the visiting dignitary on Tuesday and the Crown Prince is also scheduled to hold meetings with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

After Delhi, the Crown Prince will visit Mumbai and will also participate in a business roundtable with prominent business leaders from both sides. The interaction will strengthen India–UAE economic and commercial cooperation across traditional and futuristic areas.

"Traditionally, Dubai has played an important role in India's commercial, cultural and people-to-people exchanges with the UAE. Majority of India's around 4.3 million diaspora in UAE reside and work in Dubai. The visit of His Highness the Crown Prince will further solidify the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and strengthen our multifaceted ties with Dubai," read a statement issued by the MEA.

EAM Jaishankar had extended Prime Minister's invitation to the Crown Prince to visit India at an early date during his visit to the United Arab Emirates on January 27-29, this year.

"Delighted to meet Crown Prince of Dubai and DPM and Minister of Defence of UAE HH Hamdan Mohammed. A warm conversation on our deep bonds of friendship and taking them forward for the good of our people," the EAM had posted on X after the meeting which strengthened further India's strong and ever-growing economic and people-to-people ties with Dubai.

--IANS

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