At a mega gathering of the Bharatiya diaspora at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the deep-rooted friendship between Bharat and the UAE.
Addressing the crowd at the ‘Ahlan Modi’ event, PM Modi expressed gratitude towards the attendees hailing from various parts of the UAE and different states of Bharat.
“Today in Abu Dhabi, you have created a new history. You have come here from all corners of the UAE and different states of Bharat. But everyone’s heart is connected,” he said.
Modi said, “At this historic stadium, every heartbeat, every breath, every voice says – Long live Bharat-UAE friendship”.
Chants of “Modi-Modi” resonated through the stadium, showing admiration for the Indian Prime Minister among the attendees.
“I have come to meet my family members. I have brought the fragrance of the soil where you were born and have brought the message of 140 crore people. The message is that Bharat is proud of you,” he told the diaspora.
The UAE is home to about 3.5 million Bharatiya nationals — the biggest community in the Gulf country.
Prime Minister Modi also took a moment to reflect on his inaugural visit to the UAE in 2015, recalling the warmth extended to him by the Emirati leadership.
PM Modi shared, “I remember my first visit in 2015 when it had been only some time since I came to the Centre. It was the first visit of a Bharatiya PM to the UAE, after three decades. The world of diplomacy was new to me.
PM Modi recounted the welcome extended to him by the then Crown Prince, who is now the President, along with his five brothers. “That warmth, the shine in their eyes – I can never forget that,” he said,
Ahead of PM Modi’s speech, Bharat’s National Anthem echoed through the arena. Earlier today, Prime Minister Modi started a visit to the United Arab Emirates to inaugurate the Middle East’s largest Hindu temple and boost investment and trade links.
“In 2015, when I presented to him (Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed) the proposal to build a temple in Abu Dhabi on behalf of all of you, he immediately said yes to it and now the time has come to inaugurate this grand (BAPS) temple,” he said at the event.
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