Mohamed, Modi seek to boost cooperation

Abu Dhabi / WAM

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the UAE, and Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, discussed on Saturday boosting strategic cooperation between the two nations as well as a number of regional and international issues of mutual interest.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit comes as part of the two leaderships’ efforts to boost mutual cooperation in all areas. It also comes to follow up on the strategic direction that the two countries’ relationship is taking.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed expressed, during talks held between the two leaders today in Abu Dhabi, his joy with the visit of the Indian Prime Minister and his accompanying delegation, which is part of a long history of friendly relations between the UAE and India. His Highness expressed confidence that the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the UAE gives the relationship enjoyed by the two countries a major push and helps to revitalize it.
During their meeting, the two leaders discussed areas of cooperation between the two nations and ways to boost and develop them in order to meet the aspirations of their two respective peoples. The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and international issues.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed made it clear that relations between the two countries have witnessed a breakthrough in all areas in recent years, thanks to the political will of the leaderships of the two nations.
HH Sheikh Mohamed said that the Strategic Partnership Agreement, signed between the UAE and India in 2017, constituted a major turning point in the history of the relationship that binds the two countries. He added that the agreement has also laid a strong foundation upon which the future of the two country’s relationship is based. His Highness said this was made possible thanks to the mutual keenness of the leaderships of the two countries to transform the clauses of the agreement into programs and projects in different fields for the benefit of the Emirati and Indian peoples.
His Highness said the Emirati and Indian peoples are bound by deep-rooted cultural and commercial ties, adding that the people of the UAE have strong feelings of friendship and affection toward the Indian people. His Highness highlighted the contributions of the Indian community to the development and growth that the UAE enjoys today, stressing that the Indian community enjoys the respect of the both the people and leadership of the UAE and that it constitutes a cultural bridge that helps enhance the relationship
between the two countries.
His Highness said that the shared cultural values between the UAE and India, including coexistence, moderation and tolerance, underpin the importance of the relationship between the two nations. He said that shared cultural and civic values are the foundations upon which peace, stability and development are built and achieved, pointing out that for this reason the UAE treats these values as a vital part of its policy and is always keen on building new bridges for cross-cultural collaboration and cooperation.
His Highness said that the UAE and India are two major forces of stability and development in the region and the world and that both countries play an important role in bringing about peace and in confronting extremism, terrorism and violence. He pointed out that that approach was inspired by the universal heritage of two eternal leaders: Zayed and Gandhi. These two leaders, he said, have inspired humanity by taking on the path of tolerance, coexistence and peace. The world is in dire need, today more than ever, to revive the values embraced and lived by those two leaders, especially in light of the ongoing conflicts, wars and the spread of extremism, fanaticism and hate dogmas.
His Highness stressed that India is important power that influences regional and global developments and which plays and active and effective role in maintaining regional and global peace as well as achieving stability in Asia and the Middle East. He said this is true thanks to India’s foreign policy, which is characterized by balance. His Highness said that the UAE views India’s role in the region and around the globe with a lot of appreciation.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed commended the political and economic role that India plays, adding that India represents a balanced position in the international arena and plays an important role in global stability.
His Highness also commended India’s economic power, which he said depends on solid basis and therefore makes the country one
of the most important investment destinations in the globe.
For his part, Prime Minister Narendra Modi commended the UAE’s policy of tolerance and coexistence among all nationalities that have taken the UAE as a second home. He stressed his country’s keenness on boosting friendly ties and strategic cooperation in different areas with the UAE for the interest of the two friendly peoples.
The two sides concluded their discussions by expressing their mutual desire and will to boost strategic relations and intensify collaboration and coordination in all areas, in order to boost bilateral partnerships that serve the development, growth and prosperity of the two friendly nations.
The two leaders also called on the international community to increase its efforts to achieve peace, security and coexistence for region’s countries and peoples. The two leaders condemned extremism, violence and terrorism in all their shapes and forms.